The Politics of Love and War
by Praetor Corvinus
Summary: What really is fair in the game of love? Post-ep 10X06, "Death and the Maiden". Ships: Wedges, Simmers.
1. Prologue

Title: The Politics of Love and War

Author: Praetor_Corvinus

Beta: Happyharper13

Main Characters: Greg Sanders, Wendy Simms, David Hodges. Minor Characters: Archie Johnson, Mandy Webster, Henry Andrews, Sara Sidle, Catherine Willows, Nick Stokes, Ray Langston, Conrad Ecklie, Bobby Dawson

Timeline: Season 10. Following the events of "Death and the Maiden". Slight spoilers for all episodes up through "Appendicitement"

Prologue 

Wendy Simms chewed on her bottom lip as she wrote down the results from the latest DNA scan. Although she was aware of what she was writing, she was less than fully focused on it. There were just too many things going through it at the moment.

For starters, she was still on edge over her would-be error. It had never happened before but she knew it was bound to eventually. And that scared her. This was a pretty serious case - rape always was - but she hadn't messed up. In fact she had helped tie together several crucial pieces of evidence. But the next time could be different. Next time she could accidentally cross-contaminate evidence for a missing child or a dead politician. The type of case that could end her career.

Then there was the case itself. She knew that male-on-male rape occurred outside of prison. She also knew that, statistically speaking, men were far less likely to report or even discuss such an event. In all her years as a DNA tech though, this was the first time she had to work such a case. She found it slightly disturbing.

The final tidbit that was really eating at her was Ecklie's decision to freeze all training programs that weren't absolutely essential to the lab. That meant that while seminars and other learning programs were still mandatory, anything else was off limits. Which included any lab techs attempting field training. All the time and effort she had put into it was a waste.

"Sanders is a jerk," came a voice from the entrance to her lab.

Wendy looked up at the frowning face of David Hodges. "Come again?' she asked.

Hodges sighed. "Sanders," he repeated, enunciating each syllable perfectly for her benefit, "is a jerk."

"How so?"

"Where would you like me to start?" Hodges answered with a huff. "First he invades my lab and goes through all of my files. He _touched_ everything. Then he insults me."

Having worked with Hodges for four years now, Wendy was familiar with how the tech operated. She wasn't getting the full story and she knew it.

"What did you say to him?"

Hodges lifted his head up high. "Nothing. His rude comments didn't warrant a response."

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "No. What did you say to make him insult you."

The once uplifted head sagged slightly. "Maybe you missed the part about Sanders being a jerk?"

Evade. Another play out of David Hodges' book of conversation politics. Wendy had seen a few pages of this lengthy tome though, and she knew how to counter-attack.

"No, I heard that. I'm questioning how you brought that out of him." When the target evades, you simply move around to another flank.

Hodges was silent for a moment. The move might have caught him off guard. She could see the wheels turning in his head, formulating the next maneuver. Suddenly, a slight glint appeared in his eyes.

"I was attempting to tell him about my efforts to get Conrad to let you continue field training. I figured that since he had once gone through the same thing, he might be willing to help. He does seem to have some good standing with Conrad, though not as good as mine." Hodges' head lifted up slightly. "Instead of even caring about it, he demanded his results. Then he called me a loser. Does that explain it?"

Wendy frowned. Although she knew Hodges might be embellishing the story, she had also seen Greg march out of the lab with an annoyed face. She also saw him say something to Hodges quietly. It could have been an insult.

That didn't seem right though. On the occasions that Greg dealt with her, Wendy had always seen him as polite and nice. Of all the CSIs, he was probably the nicest.

She had seen him stressed though. She could briefly recall the night Hodges, Henry and herself were almost caught by the young CSI examining one of the miniatures from the Natalie Davis case. He had been covered in pasta sauce and had actually gotten annoyed with them. And she had heard about the incident a few weeks ago -the altercation, or whatever it was - at the scene of the dead movie star. Thus she was aware that Greg was capable of not being so… carefree.

And then there was the event that occurred only a few hours prior. Wendy was certain that she had messed up in the lab. She was convinced that she had cross-contaminated Catherine and Nick's rape case with Greg and Ray's murder/arson case. There was no other explanation. She had had no choice but to confess to the CSIs and hope Catherine wasn't going to come down too hard on her. Ever since Hodges had slipped up on the movie star case, the night shift supervisor had grown stricter with disciplinary actions concerning the night shift. But, to Wendy's relief, nothing like that happened. Greg had stepped in and backed her up. In fact, this had revealed that the two cases were linked and thus broke the case.

Wendy had never been so thankful for Greg Sanders as she had been at that moment.

But now Hodges was saying that Greg didn't care if she got into the field or not. It might not be true, but Greg's actions of late made the CSI unpredictable. It was entirely possible that Greg didn't want her out in the field. Wendy wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"Simms? You awake in there?"

Wendy blinked and focused back in on Hodges. "Yeah. What were you saying?"

Hodges sighed. "I was telling you about what an arrogant jerk Sanders is. You weren't here back when he thought he ran the lab."

A smirk crossed Wendy's lips. "When he _ran_ the lab?"

With a roll of his eyes, Hodges sighed again. "When he _thought_ he ran the lab. Pay attention, Simms."

Wendy narrowed her eyes. She hated when Hodges was condescending to her. He always had to make himself appear superior everyone around him.

"What was I saying?" Hodges asked rhetorically. "Oh yeah! Sanders. You see, back in the day, Sanders acted as if he was king of the castle. He would make these grandiose presentations to the CSIs and would constantly get involved with their business. Not only that, he had all the other techs around here acting like his posse. It was ridiculous and a little embarrassing when you thought about how it could have impacted the credibility of the lab."

Biting her tongue, Wendy suppressed a sarcastic snicker. She wasn't sure who Hodges _thought_ he was describing, but it sounded more like himself than Greg.

"I don't know, Hodges. Greg's always seemed like a nice, friendly guy. Hell, when I first started here, I knew him as the only guy capable of making Sara smile."

The corners of Hodges' mouth twitched upwards. "Well, Sara always enjoyed seeing someone make an ass of himself. I think she's a bit of a sadist."

Another play from the book. Hodges was turning his combatants moves against them. The verbal sparring was beginning to wear on her though, so Wendy decided to route the field and go down a different path.

"So you said you were going to talk to Ecklie. How did that go?"Hodges blinked. Another unexpected move and one he clearly wasn't prepared for. "Huh? Oh, right. The field thing. I haven't yet spoken with Conrad. It's best to grab him when he's in a good mood. It might have to wait until our next book night."

Wendy looked down at her file, depression seeping in again. "Zombies," she said, recalling the book Hodges mentioned his club was reading. "I remember. Well, thanks anyway."

Hodges considered her for a moment. "I'll talk to him, Wendy. I promise."

She looked up at him. He smiled. "Thanks," she replied with one of her own.

* * *

Several hours later, Wendy sat in the break room. Her depressed mood had only gotten worse as the night went on. Her thoughts about the case and her almost mistake had dissipated. Now it was only the fact that she might never get out into the field.

A loud yawn forced Wendy to look up. She watched with mild interest as Greg walked over to the coffee pot. He picked it up, smelled it, frowned, then set it back down. After staring at the pot for a few seconds, Greg did a hap-hazard shrug and turned away. That was when he noticed Wendy.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey."

Sitting down in the chair opposite her, Greg rubbed his eyes. "Well, we closed the case."

"Yeah? _The _case? So the two were connected?"

Greg blinked the blurriness out of his vision before looking at her. "Yeah. Don't worry, Wendy. I know you. You wouldn't screw up like that."

"Thanks," she said nonchalantly.

Greg cocked his head to the side. "You alright?"

"I guess."

He leaned toward her. "Come on. Don't worry about it. Cross-contamination doesn't happen around here too often. Not if you're careful. It never happened to me and the only time Mia had it happen was due to an outside factor. You have nothing to worry about."

Wendy made a noise of disbelief. "Easy for you to say. This is the second time I thought I messed up. You know what they say about the third time."

"Trust me, Wendy. I've watched how you operate. You're careful and precise. If there ever is an accident, it won't be your fault."

She looked up into Greg's eyes. They were warm and matched the smile he was giving her. "Thanks, Greg. Especially for standing up for me earlier."

"Hey, don't mention it. From my experience, I've seen the CSIs hatin' on a lot of techs for things they have no power over. You guys need someone in your corner."

"Did you have anyone back you up when you were in the lab?"

"Yeah, I…" Greg trailed off as he concentrated. His eyes blinked several times as he frowned. "Wait. I never had anyone backing me up. Wow have you got it easy. I had to fight my own battles."

Wendy wasn't sure what if he was being serious or not. "No one's asking you to coddle me," she countered.

Greg looked at her before smiling again. "I had a hard enough time getting to where I am. Still do, I guess," he added in a bitter whisper. "Anyway, I'd never wish that on someone else if I could help it."

Something that Hodges had said earlier suddenly popped up into Wendy's head. "Do you think I would make a good CSI?"

"Yeah," Greg said simply.

"Mm."

"Why? Why wouldn't I?"

Wendy shrugged. "I don't know."

"Wendy. You're smart, creative, precise and thorough. You're also funny and friendly. I've seen you get along great with everyone. Cath, Nick, Ray… everyone. And you definitely aren't intimidated by anyone. You've stood up to Doc Robbins and you take on Hodges everyday. Trust me, you'll be great."

Hearing him say that made Wendy feel a hundred times better. She guessed that what Hodges said left a bigger impact on her than she thought. Wendy chided herself for believing what he had said. She should have known that he probably pissed off Greg by doing something obnoxious.

"Thanks again, Greg. That really means a lot to me."

Greg leaned back in his chair. "I meant every word."

"Yeah, well. Maybe that would work on Ecklie too."

"I heard about his new policy. Lets see what I can do, okay?"

Wendy's eyes widened. "Really? You'd talk to him?"

Greg nodded. "Never hurts to ask. And if that doesn't work, I'll see what Catherine can do."

Wendy beamed at him. "I know I've said this a lot, but thanks."

Getting out of the chair, Greg flashed her his grin. "Hey, it's the least I can do."

Still smiling at her, Greg backed away toward the door. He finally turned and walked out. Wendy couldn't help but watch him go.

* * *

A/N: Greetings and Salutations!

Alright, this story is going to be my attempt at writing a multi-chapter love story. Unlike my previous multi-chapter stories, there will be no intricate case file. In case you haven't guessed, I'm undermining Wedges (Wendy/Hodges) with Simmers(Greg/Wendy). I chose "Death and the Maiden" because it had a wonderful scene between Greg and Wendy that I felt really set them up. It also had the antagonistic relationship between Greg and Hodges, which is important to this story.

This is just the prologue to set the plot into motion. I guessing somewhere between six to ten chapters will be written. They will generally be longer than this.

Reviews would be welcome :)


	2. The Spying Game

"_Foreknowledge cannot be elicited from ghosts and spirits; it cannot be inferred from comparison of previous events, or from the calculations of the heavens, but must be obtained from people who have knowledge of the enemy's situation." – Sun Tzu_

Chapter 1: The Spying Game

Walking into the Lab, Wendy couldn't help but feel happy. Her bad mood from the days before had pretty much gone away. She'd also gotten a decent amount of sleep and was ready for whatever the night threw at her.

Seeing that her 'inbox' was already carrying evidence that needed processing, Wendy prepared herself for a good, hard day's work. She grabbed the first piece of bagged evidence and immediately set about her task.

Before she knew it, two hours had flown by and Wendy was making good time. Processing DNA took longer than most thought, but she was on a roll.

That is, until the sound of someone clearing his throat made her look up.

David Hodges was standing before her, looking a little unnerved. That thought amused her and she couldn't help but give him a warm smile.

But Hodges still remained silent – an unusual state for him.

He just stood there, staring at her.

Starting to feel uneasy, Wendy decided to break the silence. "Can I help you?"

The sound of her voice seemed to break Hodges out of his trance. "Huh? Oh, no. I'm just here to see how you're doing."

Wendy raised her eyebrow slightly. "I'm doing well. And you?"

"Pretty good. Can't complain."

Short and to the point. That wasn't like Hodges. "Well, now that we've established how we're each doing, is there anything else I can help you with?"

Hodges swallowed loudly. "Um… I went to talk with Conrad."

Ecklie. The man keeping her from the opportunity she wanted. Hodges said he was going to try to convince the bitter, overworked undersheriff to let her continue her training. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but she couldn't help it.

A light sparked in Wendy's eyes. "You did? What did he say?" she asked with a hint of concealed enthusiasm.

"Well, he… um… I didn't actually get a chance to speak with him."

He didn't actually talk to Ecklie. She could feel the light die. "Oh? Okay," she said simply. She stared at him for several more seconds, waiting for another response, before turning back to the microscope.

"But-" Hodges said quickly. "I should still be able to talk to him at the next book meeting. He wasn't in a very good mood when I saw him. That's why I didn't say anything."

Wendy looked back up at him.

There could still be a chance…

"I understand. I wouldn't have asked Ecklie for anything when he's grumpy. But you'll talk to him?"

Hodges smiled at her. "I promise I'll do what I can."

"Thanks." Wendy returned the smile.

The two continued to stare at each other, neither able – or was it willing? – to break eye contact.

"Wendy, I've got some evidence here…" A voice from the hall called before dying off.

Wendy slowly dragged her eyes away from Hodges, almost reluctantly. She saw Henry Andrews standing in the doorway. The tech looked somewhat embarrassed.

"What was that, Henry?" Wendy asked.

His glance darting between the two, Henry addressed Wendy. "Uh, Doc Robbins sent me some stomach contents to check for toxins. I found what looks like… um… semen. Figured you should have a look." He held out a jar with grayish liquid within.

Her mind shifting back to her work, Wendy reached out and took the offered jar. Swishing around the liquid, she could tell that all contents within had dissolved into each other. She was going to have to filter it all out. Fun.

She looked back up. It was then that she noticed that Hodges had left. He didn't even say goodbye. Wendy frowned.

"I guess Hodges told you then?"

She focused back on Henry. "Told me what?"

"About Ecklie," Henry explained. "You're frowning, so I figured he told you about it."

"Yeah, he said he didn't get a chance to talk to him."

Henry snickered. "That's for sure. I certainly wouldn't want to talk to Ecklie after that."

Wendy felt like she was missing something. "After what?"

Suddenly looking jittery, Henry cocked his head in confusion. "Uh… you know, The… um… fight. Between Ecklie and… uh… Greg."

_Fight? _Now her attention was fully on Henry. "No. What fight between Ecklie and Greg?"

Henry gave a weak attempt at a smile. "I… uh… don't really know all the details. From what I heard from Hodges, I guess Greg went to ask Ecklie about getting you into the field."

Wendy sat back in her chair. "He did?"

Henry nodded. "Ecklie said no. And… um… Greg didn't take it too well. I don't know exactly what happened, but they were shouting at each other."

She had heard about Greg getting angry with Catherine, but _Ecklie_? And it was over _her_?

Henry continued. "Then Hodges went out and confronted Greg. Words were exchanged. Then Greg left."

Wendy narrowed her eyes. "What kind of words?"

"Uh… I didn't get to hear them," the tox tech said nervously.

"Henry…" Wendy threatened.

The tech swallowed. "I don't know. Honest."

She glared at him for a second. "Alright. But I'm still going to find out." She stood up quickly from her chair and started for the hall.

Henry jumped. "Wait! What?"

Wendy stopped. "Are you going to tell me?"

His eyes darted around frantically. "I… uh… told you. I don't … really know what he said."

"_He_ said? Who said? I thought both 'exchanged words'?"

The tech was now completely frazzled. "I DON"T KNOW!" he shouted.

"Fine," Wendy responded calmly.

She marched away from Henry and directly toward the A/V lab. Inside, Wendy could see the resident A/V tech, Archie Johnson, bopping his head along to whatever was playing in his head phones. She smiled slightly when she heard him singing along.

"I got the hit that beat the block  
You can get that bass overload  
I got that rock and roll  
That future flow

That digital spit  
Next level visual shit  
I got that boom boom boom  
How the beat bang boom boom boom"

Wendy snapped her fingers in Archie's face. "Archie? Ease off the 'boom boom's' for a second, please?"

Archie took off his headphones and smiled. "Hey, Wendy. Whatcha need?"

"Surveillance."

Archie looked at her coyly. "Surveillance? May I ask why?"

Wendy pouted. "Cause you love me?"

Archie chuckled. "Heh, I'm only in it for the sex," he teased.

"Yeah, well, it's just you then. All I can say is that what they say about Asians is true," Wendy teased back.

"Ha!" Archie laughed. "Who are you spying on, Ms. Simms?"

"I'm not the spy around here, Mr. Johnson." Wendy eyed all the video and audio equipment at the Asian's disposal.

Archie gave her a slightly evil grin. "I'll ask again, who are you spying on, Ms. Simms?"

The question suddenly translated itself. What he was really asking was who did she want _him_ to spy on? She gave Archie a bemused smile.

"There was a conversation between Greg, Ecklie and Hodges earlier. Think you can pull it up?"

"Can Worf handle a mean bat'leth?" Archie countered as he focused on his computer screens in order to pull the footage.

"I don't think you should do that," Henry said from behind Wendy.

They looked at him. "Are you going to tattle, Henry?" Archie razzed light-heartedly.

Henry sighed. "No, I'm not going to _tattle_. I'm just saying that if you get caught listening in on the _undersheriff's_ conversations, you could get in serious trouble."

"Well, he wouldn't if you'd just tell me what you heard," Wendy shot back.

Looking between the two, Henry sighed again. "Alright fine. As you know, Greg and Ecklie got into it over you –"

"Over Wendy?" Archie asked, confused.

"My proficiency," Wendy clarified.

"Ah."

"- and then Hodges jumped on Greg about it. He basically accused Greg of ruining your dreams and then kinda hinted that Greg was a screw-up."

Wendy dropped her jaw. "He said that? To _Greg_? That man's been through more than most people I know. He's the reason I want to go into the field."

Archie eyed her suspiciously. "He is?"

Wendy ignored him. "No wonder Hodges didn't tell me anything."

"Hang on, Wendy," Henry jumped in. "Hodges was just trying to stick up for you. He just got a little carried away."

"Oh, come on, man!" Archie exclaimed. "Hodges has been doggin' Greg since day one. I like Dave – I really do – but I'm gonna have to side with Sanders on this one."

Henry stared at Archie. "You don't even know what Greg said to Ecklie."

Archie grinned smugly. "Actually, I do." He then gestured to the laptop in front of him. On the screen was a scene from one of the halls in the lab. Connected to the computer were the headphones that Archie now had in one of his ears.

"Play it, please," Wendy asked.

Archie complied.

The image showed Greg following Ecklie. Then Ecklie spoke.

"_I'm sorry, Sanders, but there's no room in the budget. It'll just have to wait."_

"_I know, but hear me out," _Greg pleaded._ "The lab has already spent a lot of money on training her so far. It would be a waste not to have her complete it. Besides, Sara isn't going to be around forever. Her plane trips back and forth are going to start to wear on her. Eventually she's gonna wanna to go back to Grissom for good. Why spend more time and money finding her replacement if there's someone here ready and willing? And trust me, Wendy is ready for this."_

"_Both Willows and Langston would agree with you, but there's simply no money." _Ecklie said with mild annoyance.

Greg didn't back down, almost as though he didn't care that he was annoying the undersheriff. _"If she gets the training, then they'll be another hand ready to help should we need it. For now, she can continue to do lab work, but if things get rough, then we'll have someone to fall back on. And when Sara leaves, you won't have to worry about hiring a new CSI."_

"_You know that lab technicians aren't cheap, Sanders. It's far more cost effective to replace a CSI than it is a DNA tech."_ Ecklie's voice had risen slightly as his frustration grew.

"_But not easier,"_ Greg shot back. _"It took three months for you to get a replacement for Riley, and even then you had to call someone who had quit. And she isn't even here permanently!"_

"_The answer is no, Sanders!"_ Ecklie barked. _"When the budget opens up, maybe. But not now. And I don't want to hear any more about it!"_

Hearing Greg stand up for her like that actually made Wendy feel good. Even if it didn't work, she could still tell he had tried his best.

Suddenly she saw Hodges emerge on the screen.

"_Nice going, Sanders. Great way to piss off the boss and screw over Wendy."_

"_Excuse me?" _Greg's posture shifted. He know held a more aggressive stance.

"_I don't even know what it is you thought you were doing. Did Wendy even ask for your help? You know what - I don't care. All I know is that you may have just ruined Wendy's career aspirations. Another fine accomplishment you've contributed to the Lab, Sanders."_

The video ended with Greg walking away silently. Wendy didn't know what to think. Half of her understood what Hodges was doing. The other half wanted to throttle him. She looked at the other two men. Both were quietly looking at her.

"I need to talk to someone," she said quietly.

"We're here," Archie offered. Henry nodded his head.

Wendy looked at them. One was standing behind Greg, the other Hodges. Who was standing behind her?

"I need someone neutral."

* * *

As she searched for her confidant, Wendy let her mind wander over her current predicament.

She felt relieved that two of her closest friends were going to help her out. Well, she liked to think of Greg as a close friend. He had been a godsend when she first started at the lab.

Wendy was at first surprised that a CSI was going to help get her started, and her surprise grew as he showcased his impressive knowledge on DNA. Back in San Francisco, all the investigators knew only the basics of DNA analysis. They didn't really know how to use the equipment. Greg, on the other hand, knew it all. He even taught her a thing or two.

And that's when it all made sense - Greg was her predecessor. The revelation came as a shock. She hadn't met any CSI who had started as a lab tech. This had intrigued her. She didn't know it then, but now she realized that that was when the seed had been planted - the urge to do field work.

And she had Greg to thank for it.

He had been so helpful her first few nights on shift, never even leaving the DNA lab. Instead, he made sure she was fully acclimated to her new environment and that all the CSIs knew to show her respect. She had never been treated that way before. She had felt truly touched.

As she rummaged through her locker, a sudden memory made Wendy laugh. She recalled the 'date' she had with Greg. The young CSI took her and a friend out to dinner following the case involving the psychic. Unknown to Greg, it was actually a test. Wendy liked to take a friend with her on the first date in order to see how the guy reacted. More often than not, he would get excited over the possibility of a threesome. That would be the deal breaker right there.

With Greg it was different. He talked and talked to both of them like they were all old friends. Every time he flirted, he did it in a noncommittal way. There was no hidden agenda. He treated them both with respect and even paid for dinner. Both Wendy and her friend had been very impressed.

But there had been no second date. The hours and demands of the job had left both with very little time for social lives.

Looking back at it now, Wendy couldn't help but wonder what might have come of it. Perhaps nothing. Maybe things were better the way they were now. Greg had certainly matured from the slightly eccentric CSI of days past. And she still counted him among her closest friends.

"When Sanders left the lab, he got his ass kicked." That was what Hodges had told her when she first voiced her interest in taking the field test. It was true, both literally and figuratively. She had watched Greg weather the various storms that had plagued the Crime Lab. Through it all Greg still remained standing. Sure, that spark was gone, the spark of innocence that she had seen during her first year at the Lab – but he still retained the essence that was Greg Sanders.

And if he could do it, then by God so could she. All she needed was the opportunity. And her friends were going to help…her…

Wendy sat down in her chair in the DNA lab. Her friends were going to help her. Friends.

_Hodges._

He was another matter all together. The trace tech was a walking mass of confusion. One second, he was the schoolyard bully who delighted in making those around him feel inferior. The next, he was the close friend who was willing to do anything for those he cared about. He could be the sniveling henchman who groveled before his superiors. Or he could be a standup leader who was willing to take one for the team.

That there were so many different, even paradoxical, sides to the same snarky man confused her. She liked to think that she could get a good read on the people in her life. And normally she did. But David Hodges was a mystery. Perhaps that was what made him so interesting.

Yes, she liked him. He was kind of cute, graying hair and all. And at times he could be downright charming. But he was also a petulant child. And that side infuriated her. It was also what kept her from actively pursuing the other lab technician.

Another issue was Hodges' feelings toward her. Wendy wasn't stupid. She knew Hodges liked her. She really felt the connection between them grow at the AstroQuest convention. It wasn't one-sided. Yet she wasn't going to make the first move. If Hodges wanted something to come of this… flirtation, then he'd have to man up.

But those were thoughts she would rather not entertain at that moment. Her day was going great and she didn't want to bring herself down. Besides, she had work to do.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Mandy said as she stared confusedly at Wendy as they sat in the break room. "You asked both Hodges and Greg to ask Ecklie to let you become a CSI, Greg asks, Ecklie gets mad, and then Hodges gets mad?"

Wendy nodded her head. That was basically it in a nutshell.

"And you came to me? Shouldn't you talk to Hodges and Greg?" Mandy asked, still looking confused.

With a sigh, Wendy slumped over the table. "I wanted someone on my side?"

"Okay…?"

Wendy looked at her friend. "Archie sided with Greg, Henry with Hodges. I wanted someone to side with me."

"But what is your side?"

Another sigh. "I don't know. From what I saw on the tape, it looked like a great big pissing contest. Hodges seemed madder that Greg beat him to the punch than about Ecklie's response. I don't want it to sound like it's all about me, but it kinda is. If they're going to fight, they need to do it without messing with my career."

Mandy gave a smile of understanding. "You know what you did wrong, right?"

Wendy sat up. "What?"

"You didn't take charge. You wound up two toy soldiers and released them without seeing where they're going. You need to steer them."

"And how to you propose I do that?"

A wicked smile crossed Mandy's lips.

Wendy eyed her friend warily. "What do you have in mind?" she asked with trepidation.

Mandy leaned forward conspiratorially and with an aura of business. "First off, you should have realized who Henry and Archie would side with. Henry has sort of become Hodges' go-to guy. They're like this," Mandy crossed two fingers. "And Archie, Greg and I go way back. We remember the pre-Hodges days."

"So you're with Greg, too?" Wendy asked quickly.

Mandy smiled. "We women have to stick together. Girl loyalty outweighs old-timey loyalty."

"That's good to know," Wendy said with relief. "Okay, I get the loyalties thing. What has that got to do with this?"

"You need to use them to your advantage. You don't want Greg or Hodges to think you're watching over their shoulders. They'd think you don't trust them."

"But… you said you want me to steer them? Isn't that the same thing?"

Mandy ignored her. "Be like a general. Lead from behind. Or better yet, think of chess."

"Greg's a chess master," Wendy stated.

Mandy glared. "Focus here. I'm trying to help you out."

Wendy grinned. "I'm listening."

"You, as the queen, need to concentrate on getting the king. Or… er… kings. Let me worry about the pawns."

"Why are you making this sound like a battlefield?"

Mandy shrugged. "All's fair in love and war."

Wendy's eyes grew. "_Love_… uh… love and war?"

"We need to discuss your battle plan."

Battle plan? Wendy looked at her friend with a sense of shock and awe. Who knew that quiet, classy Mandy had a militant side?

"I like how you went with Hodges and Greg. Both have reasonable clout with Ecklie. I'd keep an eye on Hodges though. He might overplay his part. But you shouldn't have any problem managing him."

Wendy narrowed her eyes. 'What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Mandy replied in a sweet and innocent voice. She then continued with her planning. "Greg is the wild card. He's an unknown factor."

"When did we start playing Axis and Allies?" Wendy asked. "And I thought you and Greg 'go way back.'"

"That's old Greg. New Greg is a mystery," Mandy said in dramatic whisper. "I'd watch out for him. You don't know what might happen."

"Watch out for Greg, got it," Wendy said as though she were taking notes. "And how do Archie and Henry play into this?"

"I'd use them to track the enemy's movements."

"So, wait, they're the enemy now?"

Mandy sighed. "Figure of speech. We're dealing with geeks here. When in Rome…"

Wendy nodded. "Yeah, I get it. So what do you want me to do?"

"The operation is currently in jeopardy. Hodges is a loose cannon. You have to take him out."

"What?!" Wendy asked as she tried to figure out what her friend was saying. "Speak English!"

Mandy groaned. "Talk to him. You know Henry probably has."

"Just talk to him?" Wendy asked.

Mandy nodded. "Yeah. Ask him about the thing with Greg. Maybe anything else you might need to get off your chest…"

Wendy stared at her friend. "Such as?"

"You know – whatever comes to mind," Mandy said sweetly.

Wendy stood up. "I'll do that." She turned to leave. "Oh, and Mandy? You're kind of creepy at times."

Mandy didn't respond. She daintily picked up a baby carrot stick and nibbled on the end.

* * *

Wendy stood in her lab, staring off into space. Well, not really into space. She was staring at David Hodges – but sometimes it felt like the same thing.

She was hoping that the man would eventually come to her and fess up to the truth. The longer she waited, however, the more she realized that that wasn't going to happen. She would have to be the one to make him talk.

With a sigh, Wendy walked out of her lab and into the one across the hall.

"Hodges," she called out.

The tech looked up suddenly at the sound of her voice. "Simms? Can I help you?" His tone was laced with unease.

Wendy weighed her options. She thought about trying to beat around the bush and get Hodges to say it himself. She crossed that option off though. If the man didn't want to tell, then he wasn't going to volunteer the information willingly. And besides, Henry probably already informed the tech that she knew giving him time to prepare for any such assault.

Her second option was to just ask him about it point-blank. This had the advantage of immediately placing the conversation under her control, a state under which Hodges would squirm, no doubt unsure of how to operate.

The perfect situation to get honest answers.

"I know about what happened between Ecklie, Greg and you," she said flatly.

Hodges blinked. "Archie showed you." It wasn't a question. "I should have him reported for misuse of security equipment."

Wendy narrowed her eyes. "He did it because I asked him to. You'd have to report me as well."

His left eye twitched slightly. "I… uh…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Wendy shifted her stance. The opening moves had been played and she had come out on top. Now she could proceed at her leisure.

"Why didn't you just tell me the whole truth instead of the bullshit you gave me?"

"Well, I never actually lied," Hodges tried to cover. "I –"

"Save it," Wendy cut him off. "Why did you say those things to Greg?"

Hodges scowled. "He had no business sticking his nose in our concerns!"

_Our?_ Wendy wanted to laugh, but figured he would take it the wrong way. She honestly found it funny and not in a hurtful way. She actually thought it was kinda sweet. Yet it _wasn't_ hisconcern. It was hers.

"Hodges, Greg _offered_ to help me. I accepted. The more, the merrier. Maybe if the two of you worked together – "

"He had already pissed Conrad off!" Hodges argued. "Sanders has no tact!"

"Tact?" Wendy questioned. The idea of _Hodges _talking about tact floored her. "Like telling a guy who put his _sweat _and_ blood_ into his job that he was a screw-up is tactful?"

Hodges opened his mouth to say something else, only to stop. He was clearly unable to think of something else to say.

Wendy sighed. "It would have made me much happier if you had told me everything from the start. I don't want there to be secrets between us."

Something in Hodges' eyes changed. "You… you're right. I'm sorry."

Wendy smiled. "Apology accepted. Now go apologize to Greg."

"What?!" Hodges cried, dumbfounded.

The smile disappeared. "You know what, never mind." She turned to leave.

"Wendy, wait!" Hodges called after her. "Fine, I'll do it."

Wendy didn't turn around. "Hodges, it would have meant more if you didn't say it begrudgingly."

With a heavy sigh, she walked out of his lab. She could feel his eyes still on her. As much as she found herself drawn to him, he still found a way to make her leave.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the delay. I find my classes this semester are a little more taxing on my time so I don't have as much opportunity to write. I will try to get this done as soon as possible. No fears, I WILL complete this story.

References: The song Archie is singing is "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas. I always saw Archie as the 'hip' one amongst the techs. Of course, the bat'leth reference is from Star Trek. He's hip but still a geek.

Anyway, thanks to all those who reviewed and/or like the story so far. I really appreciate it. You know what I'd appreciate more? Reviews for this chapter. ;)


	3. Power Play

"_We have learned that power is a positive force if it is used for positive purposes."- Elizabeth Dole_

Chapter 2: Power Play

Wendy stood next to her microscope. It had been two days since her 'chat' with Hodges. The tech did actually apologize to Greg, and that made Wendy happy. Greg appeared to have accepted it, though he looked more annoyed that Hodges was actually talking to him.

Since then, relations between the independent states of Trace and DNA remained tense. The two met under formal obligations, like evidence cross-examination, but there appeared to be no friendly, informal dialogue.

And Wendy knew why.

Hodges felt slighted. At first, he must have figured that she came to him alone for help. The fact that Wendy had outsourced must have made him feel wounded.

Wendy wanted to just walk up to him and slap some sense into the man. Hodges felt threatened by Greg and she didn't know why. She knew from stories she'd heard that the two had been hostile from the beginning, but she never knew why.

Narrowing her eyes in concentration, Wendy figured out her next move. The best way to help her advancement was with _both _Hodges' and Greg's help. They only way she'd get that was if they worked together. So essentially, she needed to find out why the two disliked each other.

Which meant she would have to consult her 'network'. That was the best way to improve the relations between the two powers. Even if it was a little underhanded and sneaky.

"Wendy?"

Something she'd have to do later she realized as she focused back on the CSI in front of her.

"Daydreaming?" Ray inquired. "Am I that boring?" he asked with a slight smile.

Wendy straightened up. "No! Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Fair enough. Have you got the samples from my murder case?"

Walking to the opposite counter, Wendy picked up one of the many envelopes sitting there. "I do. It took awhile to sift through all the material," she stated, referring to the jar of stomach contents Henry had given her two days ago. "The digestive acids really did a number on your sample."

Ray furrowed his brow in concern. "Did you get anything?"

"I did, actually. Your vic did indeed ingest semen. I ran it through CODIS but didn't get any hits."

With a sigh, Ray's shoulder's slumped. "Dead end."

"Not necessarily," Wendy corrected. "Your vic had nine alleles in common with… uh… the sample."

Ray's eyes widened in surprise as his mouth curved with disgust. "Nine? You're saying she swallowed a family member's…?" he trailed off.

Wendy nodded. "Did she have a brother or father in her life?"

"Both. And she lived with them."

Feeling sorry for the job he now had to do, Wendy handed the results to the newest CSI.

"Hey, Ray?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for all the times you took me into the field with you."

Ray smiled. "Not that I'm really one to say this, but I think you did a great job out there. And," he added slyly, "it was nice not to be the new guy."

Wendy grinned at him.

"That reminds me," Ray said suddenly. "I think Catherine wants to speak with you when you get a chance."

"I didn't think she was working a case at the moment?"

"She isn't. I guess she wants to see you in her office."

Walking toward her supervisor's office, Wendy couldn't help but feel she was on the green mile to death row or, at the very least, back in high school.

Wendy tried to keep herself calm. It probably wouldn't look good being a nervous wreck. Of course, she had no idea what Catherine wanted. But that made her even more nervous.

The blinds on the office windows were closed. However, Wendy could see that there were at least two people in the room. Their bodies were silhouetted on the blinds. And since Wendy figured that Catherine would be sitting at her desk, that neither standing figure was her supervisor. A meeting must have been taking place.

Not wanting to be rude, Wendy stood outside the closed door. She had no idea if the meeting inside was important, and so she didn't want to interrupt.

She didn't have to wait long though. Just minutes after arriving, the door opened. The assistant supervisor, Nick, walked out and looked at Wendy. He gave her a big grin.

"Hey, Wendy! Just in time!"

Wendy smiled cautiously. "Just in time for something good, right?"

Nick grinned even wider. "I'll let Catherine tell you." After giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder, the Texan walked past her and strolled down the hall.

Feeling even more anxious, Wendy peered into the office.

Catherine, as Wendy had guessed, was seated at her desk. The red head was looking at what appeared to be a personnel folder through her thin-framed eyeglasses. Standing across from her was Sara Sidle. The dark-haired woman looked over as Wendy stuck her head into the room and grinned.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Wendy asked.

Catherine looked up. "No, not at all. Please come in."

Wendy did just that. Sara, still smiling, nodded her head at Wendy in greeting. Before she left the room, Sara shot one last glance at Catherine. Then she left.

With her hand pointing to a chair, Catherine smiled. "Wendy, please have a seat." As the DNA tech did so, Catherine set the folder down and removed her glasses. "So how are things?"

Wendy blinked at the question. She knew what this was - office politics. Wendy was pretty skilled at the game, but she felt a little out of her league at that moment. Sure, she could take Hodges any day, but Catherine Willows was a master of the art. She'd have to tread lightly.

"Can't complain." It was best to go with a neutral answer.

"Are you happy in the lab?"

Catherine was still probing. Wendy figured this time she could answer truthfully.

"For the most part." Truthful if a little vague.

The seasoned CSI appeared to consider the answer. She finally leaned forward. "You've heard about Ecklie's new policy, correct?"

Now they were getting to the meat of the matter. "Yeah, I heard," Wendy stated with a little bitterness in her voice.

"You don't agree with it?"

"Well… no. I wanted to be field trained."

"You're not happy in the lab?" Catherine asked again.

Wendy shrugged. "Yeah. I guess I just want to do more, you know? I wanted to be there collecting the evidence."

The corners of Catherine's lips twitched upwards. "I beginning to wonder if there's something wrong with the DNA lab," she whispered to herself.

"Huh?" Wendy asked.

Catherine ignored her. "So, if given the opportunity, you would still attempt to take the field proficiency test?"

Wendy tried to keep her heart from beating too fast. "Yes, I would."

Now a smile really did grace Catherine's face. "I've spoken with Ecklie. Since you've compiled a large amount of field hours, he's going to relax the policy a little so you can complete your training."

Wendy was now beaming from ear to ear. "Are you serious?! Thank you!"

Catherine chuckled a little at the enthusiasm. "Now hang on a moment. Because of budget restraints, we won't be able to hire a new DNA tech. Once you pass your proficiency, you'll still be primarily in the lab."

Wendy's smile dimmed. "Oh."

"Don't worry," Catherine continued. "We'll still get you out into the field. But I just want you to know that until some money opens up, you'll be back-up only. Is that alright?"

Leaning back into her chair, Wendy thought about it. Could she really complain? She still loved doing DNA. She wasn't _that_ unhappy with her job. And she still got to continue her field training. Either way, she'd be a licensed investigator. It was really was the best of both worlds.

"Yeah, that'll be fine,' she responded confidently.

Catherine continued to smile. "Glad to hear it. I believe you'll do a great job, Wendy."

Sensing the meeting was over, Wendy stood up. One last question jumped into her head. "Will Ray be the one training me again?"

Catherine's eyes darted quickly to the door Sara had exited out of minutes before, then back to Wendy. "No. Greg will be training you."

* * *

The Crime Lab seemed brighter for some reason. Wendy couldn't help but glide through the crystal clear corridors. As she passed by Prints and Tox, she smiled and waved at the resident techs within. Henry raised an eyebrow but smiled and waved back. Mandy grinned slyly and winked. She mouthed "We'll talk later" as Wendy passed.

Nearing her own lab, Wendy smiled at her abode. In a way, she felt like it was her own office. She wondered if she could get her own title. Field Technician Simms. _Senior_ Field Technician Simms. She liked that.

Wendy began to settle herself back into work mode. Although she'd been given the go-ahead, Wendy didn't know when she would actually get to go out. Catherine had said that she left it up to Greg and that it was his prerogative on which cases Wendy would be involved. So for now, it was probably best that she focus solely on her current job.

All thoughts of processing evidence left her mind when she looked up, however. Hodges was in his lab still looking sad. Feeling better about everything, Wendy decided that now would be a good time to clear things up.

"Hodges," Wendy greeted as she entered his lab.

"Simms," he returned.

"Did I ever thank you?"

Hodges blinked. "For what?"

"For trying to talk to Ecklie," Wendy clarified. "Thank you."

Hodges smiled slightly. "It's what I said I'd do. You already thanked me."

_It's what I said I'd do_. Did Hodges convince Ecklie? With this new thought in her head, Wendy stepped closer to the Trace tech. "But I need to thank you again."

Hodges tilted his head in confusion. "You do?"

"I just got out of a meeting with Catherine. Ecklie's approved me to continue training."

Hodges eyes widened slightly. "He did?"

"Yeah. I don't know what you said, but it must have worked." Hodges opened his mouth to speak, but Wendy continued. "I won't actually be able to go out into the field full-time. She said they can't hire anyone to replace me yet. But I'll still be trained. God, I'm excited."

"Wendy, " Hodges cut in, "that's great! But I-"

"You want to grab something to eat after shift?"

Hodges blinked rapidly. "What?"

"I'm way too energized to go home and sleep, and I can't celebrate alone. Come on, I know this little diner not too far from here. Please?" She pleaded.

"… Sure, why not," Hodges agreed. A grin broke out on his face. "You know though, this really isn't a cause to celebrate. You're not actually a CSI yet."

Wendy sighed. "I know that. But I still feel like going out. You better be ready."

Hodges' grin turned smugger. "Don't worry about me, Simms. You just make sure that you're ready for the full David Hodges Experience."

Biting back a chuckle, Wendy only smiled. Hodges smirked back. Seconds turned to minutes.

"Wendy?"

Wendy turned toward the sound her name being called. Greg was standing in the doorway to Trace. He had a huge smile on his face. It was almost blinding in its intensity.

"Guess I'm going to be your trainer."

Wendy grinned. "That's what I heard.

"I just got a 419. Care to join me?"

"Really?" Wendy asked. "I didn't think I was going out this soon."

"Cath said it was up to me, and I remember how much of a pain it was waiting to get out and do something. Unless you don't want to?"

"No! I do!" She wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.

Greg grinned. "Awesome. I gotta go talk to Nick. I'll meet ya by the Denali in ten, okay?"

"Great."

"Cool." Greg nodded his head and then backed out of the lab.

Wendy turned back to Hodges. The smirk was no longer on his face. "Everything alright?" she inquired.

Hodges quickly tried to recover. "Huh? Yeah!"

Feeling her good mood melt away, Wendy glared at the man before her. "Are you _still_ mad at Greg? I thought you guys made up?"

"It's nothing, Simms." Hodges' tone had grown distant.

Wendy realized her mistake. She was so caught up in her euphoria that she had failed to grasp control of the conversation. Hodges had taken advantage of her distraction and was able to maneuver a retreat. She knew that at this point it was hopeless to draw him out.

Hodges offered a tight smile. "Go on. You don't want to miss your ride."

Wendy eyed him suspiciously. "We're still going out when I get back." It wasn't a question.

Hodges nodded.

As she left, Wendy remembered her earlier mission. She was going to have to figure out what it was that made the two men so antagonistic toward each other.

"So," Mandy whispered with excitement. "I hear congratulations are in order."

Wendy tried and failed to repress the joy from showing on her face.

Mandy jumped out of her chair and hugged her friend. "I knew it would work!"

After leaving Hodges, Wendy figured she had enough time to detour over to Mandy. As she thought, the Prints tech already knew.

"What would work?" Wendy asked confused.

Mandy raised her arms in an effort to glorify herself. "Your beautiful spymaster was able to manipulate all the key players to right where she wanted them. You can call me Mata Hari."

Wendy shook her head at her friend's zeal. "So I have you to thank?"

Lowering her arms, Mandy pouted. "Don't sound so depressed. And I only had a hand in it. I'm sure you know who to really thank. It really was all him." Mandy sighed sadly. "I am a little disappointed though. This was way too easy. Now I have to release my minions."

"So what exactly did you do?"

Mandy smiled in excitement again. "Oh! I figured that a direct assault wouldn't work. This was going to take something much more powerful."

Wendy rolled her eyes at the continuing metaphor but decided to just go with it. She really did want to hear about the web Mandy had woven. "Which is?"

"Politics," Mandy said simply. "I realized that neither Greg nor Hodges had enough political power to convince Ecklie."

Wendy nodded in understanding. "Catherine."

Mandy smiled. "Catherine. All I had to do was get to her."

"And how did you manage that?"

"I first needed to hear exactly what Greg said to Ecklie. You know, figure out what needed to be fixed." Mandy leaned in and spoke quietly. "And might I add that Hodges was a complete jerk-"

"He usually is."

Both girls yelped in surprise. They turned to see Greg standing not two feet from them. He had apparently snuck up on them ninja-like.

"Greg!" Mandy hollered.

This made the CSI toss his head back in laughter. "I forgot how much that scares you. There are a few things I miss from my rat days."

Mandy turned away in embarrassment. "I don't."

Greg looked at Wendy. "As much as I'd love to engage in Tech-Talk, I have a crime scene to get to." He grinned at the DNA tech and offered an arm. "Miss Simms? Care to join me?"

Wendy smiled in amusement. "I'll be right behind you."

"Better hurry," he added before walking out.

Wendy turned to Mandy. "I want to hear more about your power play later." As she walked out, she remembered one last thing. "Oh," she shouted over her shoulder. "And don't disband the 'network' just yet. I may still need you guys."

* * *

A/N: Yay! I got another chapter out! You can call this a Valentine's Day gift. It's mainly from by beta, Happyharper13, though. She was fantastic with getting this out so quickly. She be awesome.

I hope you enjoyed this. And share the love and please review. ;)


	4. Citizen Diplomacy

"_To say nothing, especially when speaking, is half the art of diplomacy." – Will Durant_

Chapter 3: Citizen Diplomacy

"You should've brought a warmer jacket."

Wendy attempted to suppress a cold shiver as she looked at the man next to her. Greg had turned his back to her and was bent over the trunk of his car. He was fishing around for something. Unable to stop herself, she snuck a quick glance at his posterior. A girl was allowed to look after all.

She quickly snapped her eyes back up. "Sorry," she offered.

"You don't need to apologize," Greg's muffled voice said. "You should've seen me on my first field outing. I was wearing a thinner jacket than yours and it was at least ten degrees colder." He suddenly straightened up. A triumphant smile graced his face as he handed a spare coat to his trainee.

Wendy eyed the offering suspiciously. "How long has that been in your car?"

Greg glanced at the coat, then over to his trunk and finally back to the coat. "Um… awhile. But don't worry," he said with a grin. "It's clean. I've only worn it a handful of times and never around bodily fluids."

Though still a little apprehensive, Wendy took the coat and thanked him. It was actually rather warm. When Greg turned away to close his truck, she tilted her head into the collar and sniffed the fabric. It smelled like a combination of stale car and old coffee. Charming.

"Why do you have an extra coat anyway?" she asked.

Greg was still for a moment before answering. "When I first started out, someone told me that I should always be ready and prepared. My kit's fully stocked on powders, fresh batteries in the flashlight, extra box of latex gloves, handgun's cleaned and fully loaded and a spare jacket."

"Wow. Such a boy scout," Wendy mocked playfully. "When did you start carrying a gun?"

Greg grinned. "Always be prepared. That's the scout motto. And I started carrying about a year ago. I don't always take it with me though."

"I thought you were always prepared?" Wendy joked.

Picking up their kits, the two criminalists started walking toward the crime scene. "I only bring it if I'm working solo or paired up with a novice. Cath, Nick and Sara are all _way _better shots than me so I don't bother when they're around."

Wendy, walking a few steps behind him, watched Greg with interest. She had taken Mandy's advice about Greg to heart. His mannerisms were not what she remembered.

While he was the CSI she had had the least amount of encounters with over years, each stop he made to her lab was memorable. All of the other investigators were quick and to the point whenever they needed results. Not Greg. Greg would take a few extra seconds to see how she was doing. Or he might even attempt a joke or two.

The chaos of the lab over the past year had left her distracted. Old faces had left while new ones had entered. Wendy, always one who wanted to know who she was conversing with, had spent a great deal of time studying the methods of Riley Adams and Ray Langston. She had neglected to keep watch over the old faces.

Looking at him now, Wendy took note of the slight variations in his behavior - variations she should have seen before. In the past, Greg would have dashed around the lab in his efforts to collect all the details for a case he was leading. It became a good-natured joke amongst the lab techs that if you saw Sanders running, it meant Grissom had given him an exciting case.

There was none of that now.

His movements, though they appeared relatively carefree, were actually quite calculated and measured. Wendy watched with growing fascination as each deliberate step he took toward the crime scene. Even the way he had organized their equipment in the car was meticulous.

Wendy stared at the man in front of her. How much had he changed? If he got frustrated with her, would he lose his temper like he had with Catherine? She had grown used to the patient demeanor of Ray. Would she be able to handle an impatient Greg?

At the moment, Greg peered back over his shoulder at her. Wendy knew she had been caught staring. What would he say? What should she say?

Greg grinned at her. It was the same disarming, slightly goofy grin she had always known. Wendy couldn't stop herself from chuckling. She was overanalyzing. The only thing that had changed was his work attitude.

Wendy smiled back at him.

Over the next two hours the pair of CSIs chatted amicably as they processed the scene. All in all, Wendy found the entire experience to be… enlightening. Greg had shown himself to be a very competent teacher. He was just as patient as Ray had been, but appeared to be much more knowledgeable. Whenever he showed her how to do something or corrected an error she had made, he always told a story of how he had learned that very lesson back in the day.

Once they had collected all they could, they returned to the Crime Lab.

"Do you need any help processing all this?" Greg asked.

Placing her evidence bags on the counter in the DNA lab, Wendy shook her head. "No, I'll be able to get it done in no time."

She saw Greg smile over her boast of confidence. He then glanced at his watch. "Wow. It's getting late. The sun's up and everything. Why don't you just set this aside for later?"

Wendy blinked in confusion. "Don't you need this processed ASAP?"

"How often does dayshift leave you with their leftovers?"

"Couple times a week. Why?"

Greg raised an eyebrow mischievously. "Turnabout's fair play."

Wendy snickered. "Hey, you're the boss…"

"Damn right I am! As your boss, I command you to leave this for days and join me for breakfast."

Wendy stilled. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah," Greg said, still smiling. "A reward for successfully putting up with me for two hours straight. I'm buying."

Matching his smile, Wendy agreed. Then her eyes grew wide as she realized something. "Oh! I'm supposed meet Hodges after shift for breakfast."

She could have sworn that his smile dimmed and his eyes flashed for a second, but when she blinked Greg still had the same smile on his face.

"Hodges? He's taking you out?"

Wendy shrugged. "Well, more like I forced him to go with me."

Greg muttered something under his breath that sounded like "figures", but Wendy wasn't sure. "Oh. Well, maybe next time. Sound good?"

Wendy nodded. "Sounds great."

"Cool. Is Julie joining the two of you?"

In that instant, Wendy swore her brain tripped. "Julie?" she asked. That was her friend who had joined Greg and her for dinner all those years ago. He remembered her name?

"Yeah. I'm curious to see if Hodges passes the test."

Test? Greg _knew_?! No one had ever guessed that she had brought Julie along as a test.

"Uh… n…no. Julie isn't joining us. This isn't a date."

Greg smirked in an odd way. "Ah. Well, have fun." He then winked at her and turned around to walk away.

Wendy could do nothing but stare. Mandy had called Greg a wild card. She was right. For all her powers of observation, Wendy couldn't read Greg at all. Their entire conversation now seemed to take a new context. But what it was, Wendy couldn't say. Greg had maneuvered everything before she even knew what was happening. Worse, he had not only outplayed her, but outplayed her by over a dozen moves.

* * *

After all of the evidence had been neatly organized for the next shift, Wendy took off to find her confidante. It only took her a few seconds to make it to the print lab.

"Mandy, we need to talk."

The print tech looked up from the comparison she was doing. Mandy's eyes looked a little tired, but they brightened when she focused on Wendy.

"How was your field outing with Greg?"

Wendy stopped on the opposite side of Mandy's desk and leaned on it. "It was fine. Greg's actually a good trainer."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "I could have told you that- "

"That's not why I'm here."

The bespectacled woman raised an eyebrow. "Okay…?"

"Greg knows about Julie!"

Judging from the look of pure confusion on Mandy's face, Wendy figured she had no idea what she was talking about.

"Remember how I take Julie with me on first dates as a sort of test?"

"Oh, yeah. I still think you should invite me on one of those. It would be fun."

Wendy crossed her arms. "Only if you promise not to _intentionally _scare them away."

Mandy shrugged. "Eh, not worth it."

"Anyway," Wendy tried to get back to her original point, "Greg knew about Julie."

"So?"

"What if he was turned off by it? No wonder nothing happened between us after. He probably resented the fact I did it!"

Mandy narrowed her eyes in concentration. "Did you want something to happen?"

Wendy's thoughts came to a screeching halt. "I…bu…wha…?"

"Did you want to go further with Greg?" Mandy specified.

"I dunno. Maybe. But that was then and this is now."

"Okay, then let's focus on the here and now. What does Greg knowing about your odd-test-date have to do with anything? Better yet, how did you find out he knew?"

Wendy sighed heavily. "It _matters_ because all these years he must've thought he failed the test! _I never asked him out again!_ No wonder he's the one CSI that I see the least of." She began pacing as she ranted. "And I found out he knew when I mentioned that I was going to have breakfast with Hodges this morning. Greg asked if Julie was coming with us."

"Did he sound weird or anything when he asked you?"

Wendy shrugged. "No more than usual when he mentions Hodges. What's up with that anyway?"

Mandy looked away. "I don't really know. Some old grudge."

"I wish I knew what it was. Hodges even acts differently when Greg is around. Or even when he's just mentioned. It really annoys the heck out me!"

Wendy stopped pacing and watched her friend attempt to pick something out of one of her fingernails. Suddenly, Mandy froze. She slowly raised her head to look at Wendy. A somewhat unsettling smile adorned her face.

"What?" Wendy asked wearily.

"I could… you know, find out." Mandy punctuated her request by batting her eyelashes.

"You're really into this covert-intelligence-gathering thing aren't you?" This was met with Mandy cocking her head to the side in an effort to look innocent and adorable. Wendy sighed. "Fine. Use your minions to hunt and gather intel. Now what should I do about Greg?"

Snapping back into friend-mode, Mandy shrugged. "Greg really isn't someone who'd get offended after only one date. He seemed pretty happy with you when he came by earlier. How was he in the field?"

"Friendly. And pretty funny."

Mandy gave a reassuring smile. "See. Don't worry about Greg. I'm fairly confident that he's moved on since you. Now, didn't you say you were supposed to meet Hodges for breakfast?"

Wendy nodded. "I am. Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"No. Just that he walked by and it looked like he was done for the day. I don't want you to miss your date."

"Oh!" Wendy turned to run after the disappearing tech. Just as she was about to leave the print lab, she turned her head and yelled back, "And it's not a date!"

* * *

"So you say this place is pretty good?" Hodges asked with uncertainty.

Wendy rolled her eyes as she walked past him into the diner. "It _is _good. You can't judge a book by its cover, Hodges."

Hodges looked around with his nose scrunched up. "No, I'm judging it from the inside."

With a sigh, Wendy grabbed his arm and led him to booth. Just as they sat down, a waitress approached them.

"What can I get ya'll to drink?"

"I'll have some coffee with cream and sugar," Wendy replied. She looked at her companion who was reading the menu with disdain. Wendy narrowed her eyes. "And he'll have coffee as well. Black."

When the waitress walked away, Wendy turned on her friend. "Hey! Stop looking at this place like there's cockroaches on the walls. It's clean and the food is good."

Hodges cowered slightly at the anger in her eyes. "Sorry."

Wendy leaned back in her seat. The two sat in awkward silence until the waitress returned.

"Here you go," she said as she set down two ceramic mugs and filled them with black liquid. "You ready to order?"

Wendy smiled. "Yes. I'll have a Denver omelet with hash browns."

"And you, sweetie?"

Hodges glanced up at the waitress before looking back at his menu. "I'll have two eggs, over easy. Hash browns, but I want them _brown_ not white and soggy. And wheat toast lightly browned and unbuttered."

The waitress raised an eyebrow as she finished taking his order. "Will that be all, sir?" Wendy noted the loss of 'sweetie'.

"Yes, I think so."

Once she left, Wendy once again glowered at her companion. "Did you have to be so rude?"

Hodges blinked in confusion. "Rude?"

"Yeah. 'Brown not white and soggy'? That was rude."

"I was just letting her know how I like my breakfast."

"Whatever." Wendy turned her head away.

Several more minutes of awkward silence passed. Glancing at her 'date', Wendy took a little pleasure in seeing him uncomfortable. But a pang of guilt hit her as well.

"Thanks again, by the way."

Hodges smiled. "It was the least I could do."

Wendy smiled back.

By then their food had arrived. Hodges' hash browns were slightly burned but he didn't say anything. Possibly because Wendy had stomped on his foot. The rest of the meal passed by in silence. It was certainly a far different atmosphere than the one Wendy had experienced with Greg earlier.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the delay. Once again school is demanding a lot of my time. Perhaps I need to rework my priorities, yes? Anyway, thank you to all those you have been reviewing the previous chapters and sticking with me. Next chapter is when things really get moving. I'll try to have it out as soon as I can. Again, thank you and thanks to my beta Happyharper13.

And please review. It inspires me to write :)


	5. Switching Loyalties

"_No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other."- Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:24)_

Chapter 4: Switching Loyalties

A great sense of relief washed over Wendy as she stretched her back out. Almost in a daze, she watched the people around her file out the doors in the rear of the courtroom. Motion to her left caught her attention. Catherine Willows had stood up and started toward the exit. A hand on her right arm made Wendy turn back. Greg, slight smile on his face, gestured that she should follow. His other hand was fidgeting with the buttons of his suit jacket.

Once outside of the courtroom, Wendy hastily sped up to catch her supervisor. The red-haired woman stopped once they were far enough away from the rest of the people.

"So, Wendy," Catherine said with a smile. "How did you enjoy your first courtroom?"

"It was different than what I imagined," Wendy confessed. "Not nearly as bad."

"Most of them aren't. Right, Greg?" Catherine looked at the other CSI.

Greg absentmindedly pulled at his neck tie. "She's right. Most of them anyway…" he mumbled. The buttons on his jacket were already undone.

Wendy looked away from her colleagues to watch the other people from the courtroom. She wasn't really looking at them.

Although this wasn't her actual first time taking part in a courtroom hearing, it was her first in the role of CSI. Or CSI trainee to be exact. Her assistance on this case was what she called minimal, but Greg insisted it would be a good experience for her. That and they needed another expert testimony since the other CSI on the case besides the three of them was Ray, who had departed suddenly for a separate case in Miami.

"Wendy?"

Wendy looked back. Catherine was watching her expectantly as though she just asked a question. Greg, meanwhile, had a somewhat triumphant look on his face as he held his unknotted tie in his hand.

"I'm sorry?" Wendy asked.

Catherine tilted her head. "I asked if you were ready to go."

"Oh! Yeah. More than ready."

"Great. I'll see you back at the Lab. When you get a chance, I'd like to see you in my office."

Wendy struggled to keep her smile. "Your office?"

Catherine smiled. "Don't worry. It's nothing major. Just a progress report." She glanced over at Greg who was now pawing at his dress shirt. "And make sure he doesn't throw his tie away. It was a gift from my mother." With that, Catherine walked away leaving the two alone.

They slowly began their trek toward Greg's car. Wendy watched as Greg swung his tie around.

"You don't like getting dressed up do you?" she asked.

"Nope." was the one-word answer.

"Then why do you wear a suit jacket around the lab?"

Greg shook his head. "I wear a sport coat, not a suit jacket. Sport coats are cooler and less stiff."

Wendy grinned. "I figured someone like you enjoyed being stiff?"

She expected a witty comeback - some off-color innuendo like when she teased Archie. To her surprise, Greg blushed and didn't look at her.

Instead, he stayed on topic. "Suits aren't really my thing. Neither are courtrooms. Just comes with the job."

Wendy decided to let the joke drop. His reaction did confuse her though. Her interest was piqued, however, by the idea of her lifestyle having to change if she became a CSI. "What else do you do that you'd rather not?" she asked.

Greg seemed to think about her question. "Did I ever tell you about the scene where I slipped and fell into a blood puddle?"

Wendy's eyes grew wide. "No."

Greg smiled.

_Picking himself up, Greg frowned at his jeans. They were now covered in blood. Evidence. He had only been a certified CSI for three weeks and now he had ruined a crime scene. He looked up._

_Sara's jaw had dropped. Grissom was looking at him blankly. Then the older man's eyebrow went up._

"_We're going to have to take those, Greg."_

_Greg blinked. "My jeans?"_

"_Yes," Grissom said simply._

"_Okay," Greg agreed. He started toward his car, when Grissom stopped him._

"_You're going to have to take them off now."_

_He froze. "Now? What am I supposed to wear?"_

"_There are some coveralls in the back of my Denali."_

_Greg's face was now as red as the blood that was staining his jeans. He glanced at Sara, who was watching them with mild interest, then over at the two cops snickering by the doorway. "I can't change back at the Lab?"_

_Grissom frowned. "No, Greg. Those jeans are now evidence. If you wear them back to the Lab, you could cross-contaminate them. Don't be shy. We've seen underwear before." The older man's tone wasn't cordial._

_Greg mumbled something under his breath._

"_What was that?" Grissom asked, growing frustrated._

"_I said it wouldn't be a problem if I was wearing some."_

_The cops busted into loud laughter. Sara had turned away but her shaking shoulders gave away her own laughing fit._

Wendy wiped away the tears in her eyes as her laughter died down. "You're saying this job made you wear underwear!"

"Yeah," Greg said with a huge smile. "Life sucks."

* * *

Wendy knocked on the office door. She tried to stay calm. She really didn't have anything to worry about. This was just a progress report. Everything would be fine. Unless Catherine was not impressed by her progress. Or Ecklie had called the whole thing off. Then there was something to worry about.

"The door's open," came the voice from inside.

With a deep breath, Wendy opened the door and walked into the office. Catherine was sitting behind her desk. She smiled pleasantly at Wendy.

"Hey, Wendy. Please have a seat."

She did.

"So how is everything?" Catherine asked.

Once again, Wendy felt herself shift into conversation-battle-mode. "Good. Can't complain." Might as well stick with her usual style of defense.

"Glad to hear it," Catherine smiled. "How's Greg doing?"

Wendy cocked her head to the side. Catherine zigged when she was expected to zag. "What do you mean?"

"How is Greg doing as a trainer? Do you like him?"

The tech's brain tripped slightly over the last question, but she recovered her thoughts quickly enough. "He's great. He's been really patient with me. I've learned a lot from him."

Catherine nodded her head. "His reports have been nothing but glowing about you. And you did great today in court."

"I did? They only asked me a few questions."

"You were organized and all of your responses were though out. You didn't buckle under the pressure. Ecklie was impressed."

Wendy's eyes widened. "Ecklie was there?"

Catherine smiled at her concern. "Yeah. He told me afterward that you handled yourself better than most first timers."

Wendy couldn't help the wide smile that spread over her face.

Catherine leaned back. "That's basically all I wanted to tell you. You're doing a great job and, so far, Ecklie isn't changing his mind. He's very impressed. And I've learned to listen to Sara more often."

"Sara?" Wendy asked, confused.

"I was originally going to have Ray train you. But Sara suggested Greg. I'm glad she did. Greg's been… restless these last several months."

Wendy remained silent.

"Anyway, keep up the good work. And I'll see you tomorrow night."

"You mean 'tonight', right?" Wendy asked.

"No, you can have the night off. Enjoy yourself. You did a good job."

Wendy thanked her supervisor and walked out of the office. Her mind was already racing ahead. Sara had requested that Greg train her. That was the reason she was involved in that meeting with Nick and Catherine.

But there was something else that felt… off. Wendy narrowed her eyes. She needed to speak with Mandy.

* * *

"Woo! Party!" Archie cried out.

Wendy sniggered as the uncharacteristically energetic man looped his arm through her own. He did the same to Mandy and led them into the club.

A sad sigh from behind her made Wendy glance back. Henry, following the trio, held his head down.

"What's the matter, Henry?" she asked.

Another sigh. "I never get a beautiful woman on my arm."

"Say no more," Mandy exclaimed gleefully as she unhooked herself from Archie. "One beautiful woman coming up." The dark haired girl immediately joined Henry's side and allowed him to take her arm.

Archie shook his head and laughed. "Man, that's so pathetic."

Henry, all traces of his previous dour persona erased, grinned at the man. "I can't help it if some women go for the lonely, pathetic type."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just don't get too pathetic or I'll go back to the overconfident playa here."

Archie wiggled his eyebrows. Wendy couldn't help but smile at her group of friends as the quartet made their way to an empty table.

Whether it was by luck, coincidence, or an alignment of the cosmos, the four techs all had the night off. Henry was the only one who originally had the evening free. Both Mandy and Archie had too much overtime and were forced to go home. It had been Archie's idea that the four go out and get a few drinks.

"We need to do this more often," said Mandy.

"Here, here," Archie agreed. "Anyone have a birthday coming up? That's always a great excuse to go out and get drunk."

"Mine is," Henry lamented. "Next month. But I would rather just spend it in peace and quiet."

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Peace and quiet? You don't want to spend time with your friends?"

"Time with friends is good. Just not on my birthday," Henry explained. "I hate my birthdays. Every year something bad happens and I'm sure it'll happen this year as well. It's better if I just stay home and catch up on _Lost_."

"You're no fun, man," Archie stated. "Come on. You. Me. The ladies here. It'll be great."

Henry vehemently shook his head. "Nuh uh. Promise me the four of you won't do anything for me. No gifts. No well wishes. In fact, just forget that I ever said anything about it."

Three pairs of eyes all glanced at each other before a chorus of promises echoed out.

"You know what would be awesome," Mandy chimed in. "If _all _of the techs were able to get out and have a night out on the town."

"All of them?" Henry asked.

"Yeah!" replied Mandy.

"That would be fun," Wendy added. "It's a shame Hodges didn't have tonight off."

"Shame for you maybe," Mandy said cheekily.

Wendy glowered at her friend. Then she smacked her arm.

"How are you and Hodges doing?" Henry asked innocently.

Turning her glare toward the pale man, Wendy huffed. "Whataya mean?"

Henry shrugged. "Nothing. Just curious is all."

"Uh huh," Wendy replied. She kept her eyes locked on him. "Anyway. It would have been nice if Hodges were here. And Bobby. We should have asked Greg too."

Archie looked at her. "Greg? He's not a tech anymore."

"So," Wendy said defiantly. "He _was _a tech. Apparently he was here longer than any of us."

"That's true," Mandy conceded. "He should have joined us."

Wendy was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Archie was still looking at her, his facial expression unreadable.

"How are you doing with Greg?" the A/V tech asked. "In the field," he clarified.

"Good," Wendy replied cautiously. "He's been a great teacher. I really have to thank him for all that he's done."

"Right," Archie cryptically said.

"Don't forget about Hodges," Henry interjected. "He might not have gotten Catherine to agree to get you into the field, but he tried his best. That deserves some thanks too." Wendy's eyes widened but Henry missed it. "Hey, do they have waitresses here or do we go up to the bar ourselves?"

Archie looked away from Wendy and furrowed his brow. "I think we have to go up and get our own. Ladies, anything in particular?"

"I'll have a Blue Moon," Mandy said sweetly.

"I don't care," was all Wendy could say. As the two men left the table, Wendy turned toward her friend. She had a lot of questions that needed answering. "Mandy, you said you pulled some sort of power play to get me back into the field. What exactly did you do?"

Mandy looked surprised by the question. "I never finished telling you? Okay, let me remember. … oh yeah!" She shifted in her chair as she took on a more mysterious aura. "You recall how Greg cornered Ecklie and then Hodges got mad at him?"

"Of course."

"Well, the first thing I did was damage control. I convinced Archie to go calm Greg down and had Henry talk to Hodges."

Wendy picked up a napkin and started playing with it. "Okay. What did Henry say?"

"He told Hodges to avoid Ecklie and go to Catherine."

"How did that work out?"

Mandy smiled awkwardly. "Not as good. Catherine basically repeated Ecklie's answer. After that, Hodges kinda gave up."

The napkin tore. "He gave up?" Wendy asked incredulously.

"Yeah. No matter what Henry or I tried, he wouldn't ask her again."

He gave up. Wendy couldn't fathom it. All this time of thinking that he did everything he could to help her…

"So I turned to Greg," Mandy continued. "All I can say is that Greg is a much better negotiator than Hodges. To be fair though, I think Catherine was feeling a little guilty toward Greg."

So it had been Greg. Hodges had taken his credit. And Greg never said a word. That thought alone made Wendy feel… odd. Greg never told her he had fought for her. Not even a peep about the thing with Ecklie.

"Mandy," Wendy said quietly. "How was Sara involved?"

Mandy looked impressed. "You knew about Sara? That wasn't actually my doing. She had overheard Catherine and Nick talking about you. I guess they were originally going to pair you up with Ray. Sara jumped in and volunteered Greg. Said something about switching up the lineup and giving credit where it was due. Or something. I didn't understand it."

Wendy smiled at her dark haired friend. "Where do you get your intel from?"

"Two Blue Moons!" Archie announced. He set the bottles of beer in front of the girls as he and Henry sat down. "Hope you don't mind I got you the same as Mandy."

"No, its fine," she replied. She looked back at Mandy.

The woman smiled slyly at Wendy as she took a tiny sip from her bottle. "I have my ways."

Wendy looked at her own beer. She was feeling very thirsty. All she wanted to do was to give credit where it was due.

* * *

Wendy didn't consider what she was doing to be stalking. Ambushing was the more accurate term. It was the only sure fire way to catch the enemy.

And the enemy Hodges was. The sniveling little snake had lied to her. Right to her face. Wendy couldn't believe it. The anger she felt was still boiling within her. No, she wasn't going to let him get away with this.

Thus she sat. Patiently. Patiently waiting in her car for her unsuspecting victim to walk out of the lab and head toward his own vehicle. He was probably planning to go home and spend a nice, quiet morning talking to his mother. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Especially mice. Or rats, as it were.

Her dark eyes darted to and fro across the parking lot. She sat perfectly still in her car. Any movement could give away her position. The last thing Wendy wanted was to miss her kill shot…

The door to the Crime Lab suddenly opened. Wendy felt her breath hitch. A completely docile and unsuspecting David Hodges sauntered out of the building. Wendy's nostrils flared as her eyes narrowed. It was go time.

In the blink of an eye Wendy started her car, put her foot on the gas, and raced her car straight at Hodges. She veered slightly to the left and stopped abruptly beside the man. She rolled down her window.

"Wendy?!" Hodges cried, his face ashen. "What the hell! You almost hit me!"

"Get in!" Wendy yelled.

With much trepidation, Hodges gave in to her demands. He cautiously opened her passenger door and sat down. Wendy drove the car in heated silence to an empty space near the back of the lot.

"What…?" Hodges tried to ask.

After shutting off her engine, Wendy turned toward her passenger. "I didn't want to say anything in front of anyone."

"Say anything?"

"You lied, David."

Hodges stared at her in confusion. "Lied? About what?"

"You took the credit for getting me back into field training."

He licked his lips. Wendy watched him with fiery eyes. This was one conversation where he wasn't going to be able to outmaneuver her. She knew it. He knew it. But she could still tell that he was going to try.

"I never actually said that it was me who-"

"Cut the crap," Wendy sneered. "You knew damn well that I thought it was you. Did you correct me? No. Why not?"

Hodges looked away. Wendy sat there, waiting for him to respond. When he looked back, she was shocked. His eyes looked so sad.

"I wanted you think it was me. I didn't get you what you wanted. I failed. I didn't want you to know that."

His voice sounded so defeated. So… lost. Wendy closed her eyes. She was still incredibly mad at him, but pity was working its way in.

"Why did you give up?" Wendy asked, her voice marginally softer.

"Give up?" Hodges inquired.

"When Catherine said no. Why did you just give up? I've seen you go to the extremes when trying to get something done that you really believed in…" Wendy stopped. She had her answer. "You didn't want me in the field."

Hodges' eyes met hers. "No."

"Why not?"

"I… I… didn't want to lose you."

"Lose me?" Wendy asked. She was feeling very conflicted. "What do you mean?"

"The CSIs are their own little club. We techs have ours. If you became a CSI, you wouldn't hang around us anymore."

"Is that all it is, Dave? You didn't want to lose a friend to hang out with. Someone you can show off to?"

Hodges opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Only a slight strangling sound escaped. It was as though he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Wendy squeezed her eyes tight. "Please leave."

"Huh?"

"Please," Wendy repeated. "Please leave."

"Wendy? I didn't-"

She cut him off with a hand. "I would have been fine if you had just said that you'd asked and Catherine had said no. I could have forgiven you for lying to me. But you gave up on me. And for what? Your own selfish reasons. Did you even think about me?"

Hodges swallowed. "I'm sorry," he offered quietly.

"I wish I could believe that."

* * *

Wendy wasn't sure what time it was. It could have been only minutes since Hodges had left her car. But the sky was now very bright. Too bright to be early morning. It was likely she had been there for hours.

Dry tear stains streaked her face. She couldn't remember crying, or even having stopped crying. She had never felt more betrayed in her life.

A slight tap made Wendy look up. Archie was standing next to her car. He smiled reassuringly. Wendy lowered the window.

"Hi," was all she could say.

"You alright?" Archie asked.

Wendy took a deep breath. "Yeah."

"You sure?"

Wendy smiled. "I guess I look pretty bad."

"You need some fresh air." Archie opened her door and gently pried her out of the seat. With his hand on her shoulder, he guided Wendy to the front hood and the two sat on it. "You confronted Hodges, didn't you?"

Wendy sniffed. "How did you know?"

"Mandy isn't the only spy in the lab," Archie said with a grin. "She thinks she plays us. She doesn't. We all play each other."

"So you know all about me and Mandy's plan?"

"Not in detail, but I can guess. You asked Mandy for help. Mandy 'volunteered' Henry's and my services. Pretty easy to follow, actually."

"Henry knows?"

"He knows something. Just like I knew something was going on." Archie fidgeted a little. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Is there something between you and Hodges?"

Wendy was silent for a moment. "There was," she confessed. It was more to herself than to him. "I'm not sure now."

Archie nodded. "He screwed up big, didn't he?"

Silence.

After a while, Archie started fidgeting again. "You and Greg seem to be getting along well."

The mention of Greg made Wendy smile. "Yeah. He's been great."

"Wendy," Archie began. "I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying this, but I think you should know."

Wendy looked at him. He wasn't watching her. Instead his face was pointed straight ahead. "Know what?' she asked.

"Greg still likes you."

"Likes me?"

"You know you guys went out a few years ago? I guess you made an impression. He hasn't really dated since. A few token girls that Nick hooked him up with, but nothing serious."

Wendy's brain, already confused, was now misfiring synapses. "We only went out once. He never asked me again."

"I don't know the reasoning behind that. All I know is that he still carries a torch for you."

"How… how do you know?"

"He told me."

* * *

A/N: Another chapter! Please give thanks to wonderful happyharper13! She's awesome.

Due to school being extra needy these next two or three weeks, I'm unsure as to when the next chapter will be. I have two term papers to write and I don't know when I can fit in fanfic. I will try though.

Big Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and who are still following this story. I greatly appreciate it. You have know idea.

And of course, please review. It might make me go faster ;)


	6. Declaration

Warning: This chapter contains spoilers for the season 10 episode "Lover's Lanes". There is also a scene containing sexual content. I've avoided going into graphic detail and as such, I view the scene as being PG-13 rated. Thus I'm not changing the rating of the story from 'T'. However, if anyone is offended then I will upgrade to 'M'.

* * *

"_I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you" – Roy Croft_

Chapter 5: Declaration

Awkward.

That was how Wendy could best describe the past two weeks. Everything in her life now felt awkward.

She couldn't feel comfortable in the Lab. Hodges was there. Despite a few meager attempts of apology on his part, they hadn't spoken. His betrayal still burned her. Burned her more than she thought – or wanted it to.

That was what really had her confused. She had felt that the two of them had grown closer over the past few years. Yet it seemed to be the opposite. Or more like no movement had occurred at all. Each apparently had created their own illusion of what they were. Hodges, it seemed, thought that if he could keep Wendy bound to the Lab, then she'd be all his. Wendy had imagined that Hodges was far more mature then he was. But no, he was still stuck in a teenage mindset.

And then there was Greg. The first time they went out into the field since Archie's revelation was terrible. Wendy couldn't focus. She had overlooked a piece of evidence that was impossible to miss. Then she picked up another without her gloves on. Did she get reprimanded? No. And that was the most nerve-wracking. Greg simple walked up to her, put his hand on her shoulder, and asked if she was doing all right. Wendy's couldn't even answer the question as her attention was divided between the warmth emanating from his hand and look of true concern he had in his eyes.

When she couldn't answer, Greg had thought something was wrong. In his effort to help her, he had wrapped his arm around her and attempted to guide her away from the scene and to their vehicle. Her mind had immediately numbed. Instead of finishing the scene, Greg drove her back to the Lab.

Did Greg report it Catherine? Nope. When the supervisor asked why they had returned, Greg lied and said that it was _he_ who wasn't feeling well. Nick and Ray had gone back to finish what she and Greg had started.

They hadn't gone back out into the field since then. Wendy still couldn't hold a proper conversation with Greg. And it wasn't his fault. Not entirely. Wendy had found herself analyzing every look, every move Greg made. She watched from her observation post in the middle of the Crime Lab as he interacted with the others around him. Greg joked with Nick and Ray. He held close conversations with Sara and teased Mandy. His demeanor became a little stand-offish with Catherine and he avoided Hodges as much as possible. Each was different but always the same. Even with her.

Whenever he passed the DNA lab, he'd make sure she was doing alright. Again, his brown eyes held a look of deep concern. And he always leaned toward her when he tried conversing with her. The only other person she had seen him do that with was Sara. Even then it was different.

And it scared her.

For the first time, Wendy found herself second guessing her own feelings. She had for so long pushed away any and all thoughts of Greg. He was just a friend. A close colleague. Nothing more. She had focused all of her energies on the job and her circle of friends. And Hodges.

But the more she thought about it, the more Wendy realized. She looked forward to Greg's visits to her lab. She'd enjoyed them from the beginning. And now…

Wendy knew the things she didn't like. She didn't like someone making decisions for her. She didn't like her world unraveling around her. Most of all, she didn't like emotions that covertly sneak up and undo her.

Wendy also knew what she liked as well. She liked a friend who was loyal and who would do anything to help her. She liked having a confidante who wouldn't betray her.

And she liked Greg.

She would have to do something about that.

* * *

The hustle and bustle of the Crime Lab at ten p.m. was nothing unusual. Swing shift and the remnants of day shift were in the process of leaving for the evening as the night shift clocked in. It was a chance for coworkers to mingle briefly and catch up on news and gossip. Supervisors generally waited until around ten or fifteen minutes into shift to get to business so that wayward employees could be rounded up.

It was the perfect time for Wendy to go hunting for answers. She had come to a realization about her feelings for Greg. A realization she wasn't unhappy about.

What was bothering her, though, was the one unanswered question that remained. Fro as long as she had known them, both Greg and Hodges could barely remain civil and aloof around each other. There were times were they bordered on outright hostility. Wendy wanted to know why.

She had already asked both Mandy and Archie if they knew. Neither did. In fact, each had been less than helpful. Archie had asked if her inquiry had anything to do with what he had told her. Wendy had left without answering. Mandy not only asked the same type of question – only this time about Hodges – but then worried that Wendy was firing her as spymaster. Again, she had left without giving an answer. Truth be told, the spymaster had failed. Now the general had to do her own dirty work.

The only way she was going to get a clear view of the battlefield was to remove the last obstruction. And to do that she would have to go to a previously unconsidered source.

Wendy walked into the one lab she barely visited. Looking around, she found herself slightly outside of her comfort zone. She prided herself on being aware of and minding her surroundings. The ballistics lab was unknown terrain.

"Wendy?" Bobby Dawson asked. "Ya need somethin'?" The ballistics tech was looking at her with surprised curiosity.

Wendy swallowed. "Hey, Bobby. I kinda have a question for you."

Bobby stood away from his desk and gave his full attention to her. "Sure. What can I help ya with?"

"You've worked here for a long time, right?"

The older tech raised an eyebrow. "About twenty years now. Why?"

Wendy shifted. "Would you say that you pretty much know everything that happens around here?"

Booby laughed. "I don't usually get involved in lab gossip."

With a nod, Wendy sought her out her next question. Twenty years. Even if he hadn't been actively seeking gossip, surely the senior lab technician would know.

"Bobby, do you know why Greg and Hodges dislike each other?"

The smile on Bobby's face vanished. Had she hit the jackpot?

"You're probably the first person to ask that."

Wendy blinked. "The first?"

"Everyone always assumes it's because Hodges is an obnoxious kiss-ass or that Greg is a little too carefree."

Wendy was getting closer to the truth. "It isn't?"

Bobby stepped back to the counter opposite his desk and leaned against it. "I'm sure you've heard of the explosion that happened a few years ago?"

Wendy nodded her head. "Yeah. When I was hired I was told about the strict rules concerning lab equipment and the fume hood."

"Then I'm sure you knew how Greg was in the center of the explosion?"

A flash of emotion swept over her. Wendy willed it away. "Yeah," she answered quietly.

"Did you know about the investigation?"

"Investigation?"

Bobby nodded his head. "The lab had to figure out who or what was responsible. One of the first suspects was Hodges."

Wendy's eyes widened. "Really?"

"See, he had only been here a few months. And, unfortunately, he hadn't meshed with the rest of us all that well."

"I thought you said it didn't have anything to do with their personalities?"

Again, Bobby nodded. "We all eventually learned to deal with Hodges. That and he toned down a bit on the abrasiveness. With Greg, it was different…"

_Bobby had just finished putting the 9mm __Magnum back together and looked down at his hands. They were covered in gun oil and completely filthy. With a sigh, the tech stood up from his work table and started toward the restroom. There was a sink in his lab but he did have to pee after all._

_Nearing the bathroom, Bobby's mind was too busy figuring out whether he should wash his hands before or after doing his business that he didn't hear the argument until he was right at the men's room door. Concerned, he opened the door. What he saw was a surprise._

_Greg was standing, shirtless, with his back to the far wall. Hodges was standing opposite him. Both men looked pissed._

"_What the fuck are you talking about?!" Greg yelled._

"_You know what the hell I'm talking about!" Hodges bellowed back. "Next time you see it necessary to blow up the lab, try to do it without jeopardizing my career!"_

"_When I… WHEN I BLOW UP THE LAB?!" Greg was now red in the face and screaming at the other tech. "FUCK YOU! I had nothing to do with it!"_

_Hodges didn't back down. "If you had been paying attention instead of whatever else you were doing, then it wouldn't have happened! What were you doing anyway? Flirting with Sara again?" Hodges asked with a disgusted sneer._

"_Fuck you!" Greg took a step toward Hodges. "What the hell is your problem anyway? Daddy didn't spend enough time with you as a kid, so now you're angry at the world?"_

_Hodges narrowed his eyes. "Whatever, Sanders. I bet Sidle doesn't even give you the time of day after all this. If she does, well… then her standards are as low as I thought they were."_

_Despite his baiting of Greg, Hodges apparently didn't honestly think the younger man would take a swing at him. Before Bobby knew it, Greg had punched Hodges square in the jaw. A second of stunned silence filled the room. Then three actions happened at once. Bobby pushed himself into the room just as Hodges regained his footing and swung at Greg who was in the process of aiming another blow at Hodges' stomach._

_Greg's impact knocked Hodges off balance. The trace tech's own fist missed Greg's face but hit the back of his neck as the DNA tech attempted to dodge. Greg let out a horrific scream. Bobby managed to get between the two techs and pull Hodges away._

"_What the hell?"_

_Bobby looked toward the doorway and saw a flabbergasted Jacqui Franco come rushing into the room. Jacqui grabbed Greg, who was doubled over on the floor. It was then that he saw why Greg was shirtless. The man had been redressing his bandages. Hodges had impacted the wound on the back of his neck._

_Hodges began to squirm out of Bobby's hold. Scowling, Bobby strengthened his hold. He heard Hodges yelp in pain. Jacqui looked over at them, wide eyed and frowning._

"_What the hell happened?"_

"_Sanders-" Hodges began only to be shut up by Bobby's tightening grip._

"_I walked in and saw these two in an argument. Then Greg punched Hodges after he wouldn't shut up."_

"_I-" Hodges again attempted only to be cut off._

"_An argument over what?" Jacqui asked._

_Bobby didn't respond. He had heard enough to know but he wasn't in a position to reprimand anyone._

"_He… he blamed… me…" Greg attempted in between gasps._

_Jacqui looked at the crumpled up man. A hint of sorrow made its way into her eyes." Blamed you for what?"_

_More gasps. "Lab…ex…ex…" Greg took a gulp of air but couldn't finish the word. He didn't have to though as recognition shown in Jacqui's face._

_Bobby had seen a lot of angry women in his day. He'd even been on the receiving end of a few death glares. But the look Jacqui was now giving Hodges made his blood run cold. He watched as the woman faced toward the two of them and walked menacingly towards them. Bobby could actually feel the restrained man attempt to cower. But it was no good for Bobby held him firmly._

_Jacqui leaned forward, her mouth close to Hodges ear. She shot a quick glance up at Bobby. Acquiescing to the silent request, Bobby turned his head away. Hodges stilled as the angry woman whispered something into his ear._

_Whatever it was, it did the trick. Hodges all but collapsed in Bobby's arms._

"_Bobby?" Jacqui asked. He looked back at her. "Could you take him out of here? I'll stay with Greg."_

"_Sure, Jac," Bobby replied. Still with a strong hold, he led Hodges out of the bathroom._

Wendy stared at Bobby. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. The idea that Hodges and Greg had actually taken shots at each other…

"So… what happened?" she asked.

Bobby shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing."

Wendy furrowed her brow. "Nothing? I don't understand…?"

"If we reported Hodges, then Greg would also get written up. He did take the first punch after all. Even if it was justified, it would be seen as his fault. And given that it had been barely a week since his return…"

She knew what Bobby was implying. It would make Greg look like he wasn't ready to return to work. Or worse.

"And so… that was it?"

Bobby scratched his arm. "Basically. A sort of truce was agreed upon. Nothing would be said about their scuffle and they would steer clear of each other whenever possible. It's been a cold war ever since."

A cold war. That was indeed what was going on. Wendy couldn't have thought of a better metaphor.

"What did Jacqui say to him?"

"I have no idea," Bobby confessed. "Whatever it was, it worked. God, I miss that woman." Wendy remained silent. She had never really worked with the former print tech. Bobby smiled and continued to reminisce. "Man, those were the days. None of this 'us versus them' crap that Hodges has started now between the techs and CSIs."

"Huh?"

"You know. The way all the lab techs around here act as a little group separate from the investigators. Back in the day when Jacqui ran things, it was different."

Wendy held up her hand. "Wait, I was always told that Greg was the king tech around here?"

Bobby snickered. "Hodges tell you that? Naw, Jacqui was queen bee. I had seniority but nobody messed with Jacqui. I guess that's why Hodges never took a swipe at her. He was too scared. Surprised he hasn't taken any jabs at me."

Wendy thought of Hodges' "thought experiment" a few years ago. It made sense now why Bobby was always scapegoated during the "cases".

Bobby continued. "Yeah, things were much more civil then. Hodges thinks he has to play politics to get ahead. Like he has to forge connections with certain people and leave everyone else behind. That's not how it works. Jacqui was best friends with Catherine. Nick, Warrick and I used to hang out all the time. And there was always something special between Greg and Sara. Those were the good ole days of lab cooperation. That's really all it takes."

The two of them just stood there. Bobby smiled sadly to himself as Wendy got even more lost in her own thoughts.

Cooperation between the techs and CSIs? That's what she'd been trying to do for years. But there was always something that thwarted her attempts. She didn't want to say it, but she knew what it was. Hodges had long been telling her and whoever else how the investigators acted all high and mighty. _He_ had created this invisible barrier between them.

Wendy knew what she was going to do. She was going to strengthen the old alliances in the lab. And she knew exactly where to start. Everything started with DNA after all.

* * *

The evening passed as Wendy thought it would. More awkwardness. Hodges had passed by her lab twice. Each time he was shot down by a stern look from her. Her feelings toward the man had been made more complicated by Bobby's revelation. She didn't want to admit that her respect for the tech had all but vanished. Didn't want to admit that whatever feelings she had held for him might have turned negative. Didn't want to admit how much she was now loathing her job.

Wendy felt like a pariah. It was as though her eyes had been opened and she could step back and see the whole picture. The lab was polarized. The CSIs existed on one end, the techs on the other. The investigators all went out together for breakfast. The techs usually met for dinner. There was hardly ever any co-mingling. Was this what Bobby saw? Was this why he never hung around with the other techs?

She could recall the times when a CSI would stretch out a hand in friendship. Mostly it was Nick. Big smile on his face and an olive branch in his hands – or an _Astro Quest_ DVD, as it were. And the techs would participate. But it was usually just to keep up appearances.

Wendy looked around the lab. She could see Mandy and Archie joking about something. Henry was over with Hodges, whispering about something else. She turned toward the layout room. Catherine and Nick were discussing a case. A cell phone on the table indicated someone was on speaker. Probably Sara or Greg.

Techs and CSIs. Two separate worlds.

When had it happened? Why had it occurred? Who caused it? The answer to the last question was easy to answer. Or too easy to answer. Could she really call it Hodges' fault? She wasn't here when Greg had left the lab. She didn't know what the relationship was between her predecessor – Mia Dickerson – and the rest of the lab.

But were the questions really all that important? All Wendy saw was a problem. And she wanted to fix it. Not just for herself, but for everyone.

Movement caught her eye. Catherine and Nick were leaving the layout room. Both were smiling. That was odd. She watched as Catherine made her way toward her office. Nick, however, turned the opposite direction. He was going to pass by her doorway.

Wendy knew an opportunity when she saw it. No better time than the present. "Hey, Nick?" she called out. "Happy about something?"

Nick stopped and looked over at her. "Huh?"

"You're smiling. Something good happen?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah. Just closed a case."

"The one with the bowling head? Great!" Wendy knew she had to be encouraging.

"That's the one. Sara and Brass are wrapping up everything now."

"That's great," Wendy smiled.

Nick looked as though he were about to leave when something apparently crossed his mind. "Hey, Wendy. A bunch of us are going bowling after shift. Would ya like to join us?" He smiled encouragingly.

Wendy blinked. Bowling? She hadn't bowled in years. But here was Nick extending the olive branch once again. "Sure! That'd be great."

Nick's smile grew. "Great! Hodges, Doc and Super Dave are coming too. It should be fun."

As Nick walked away, Wendy felt less enthused. She hadn't known Hodges was going. It looked like everyone loved Nick's olive branch.

* * *

Wendy wasn't the first to arrive at the bowling alley. Nick and Sara had shown up first in order to secure their own lane and Doc Robbins and David pulled up not long after. Once she spotted the four, Wendy immediately walked over to join them.

"Hey, Wendy," Sara greeted her.

"Hey," Replied Wendy as she sat down to change her shoes. "This isn't everyone, is it?"

Sara shook her head. "No. Catherine should be here any second and Ray said he'd be a little late. Hodges will probably be here any minute as well."

Wendy frowned slightly. "Is Greg not coming?"

Nick shrugged. "He said he probably wouldn't make it."

Wendy felt a little disappointed.

Nick looked over at the coroners. "Hey, Dave. Your wife didn't want to join us?"

David shook his head. "No. Mrs. Phillips doesn't much care for bowling. She says it's a lazy game, but I think she just sucks at it."

Wendy and Sara laughed. Nick, smiling, focused on Robbins. "What about you, Doc? Same reason?"

Robbins shook his head. "Are you kidding? She loves to bowl. But she loves me getting out of the house more."

"Does anyone know if they clean these shoes after each use?"

The group looked up as Catherine walked toward them, eyeing her bowling shoes suspiciously.

"They always spray 'em down with a disinfectant after they're returned," Robbins answered.

Catherine sniffed the inside of one of her shoes. She frowned in disgust, but quickly shrugged it off and went to put them on. "God, I haven't been bowling in years."

"You and Lindsey never go, Cath?" Nick asked.

Catherine looked at him like he was crazy. "Seriously? Lindsey has way more _important _stuff to do now. I haven't bowled with her since a field trip in the sixth grade."

"How is Lindsey doing?" Sara asked. "She's a senior this year, right?"

"Yeah. Between dating and looking at colleges, she's also involved in school plays. This year they're doing _Cabaret_. Lindsey's trying out for the lead."

Nick smiled. "A musical? With singing and dancing? Careful, Cath. She might be following in your footsteps."

Catherine shot him a glare. "Don't even go there, Nick."

Wendy enjoyed sitting back and watching the camaraderie between the group. It was very relaxed and sociable. She could get used to this.

"Hey, everyone."

Wendy looked over at the man joining the group. Hodges. Their eyes met briefly before Wendy looked away. She silently swore as he sat down next to her.

As the others starting conversing amongst themselves, Hodges turned toward her. "Wendy, please talk to me. I am sorry."

Wendy sighed. He wasn't going to give up. Well, she was trying to mend bridges after all and not burn them down. "Hodges… let's just forget it, okay? No talking about it and let's try to have a fun evening." She forced out a smile.

Hodges grinned back at her.

"Alright," Nick announced. "I'm going to grab some beer. Who's the designated driver this evening?" He looked at Sara, who merely raised an eyebrow at him. Catherine shook her head. Both coroners refused to look at Nick. Wendy only said that she needed it.

Finally Hodges spoke up. "Sure, I'll do it." He smiled at Wendy as though the idea of him being the responsible one would impress her. Wendy fought to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

"Thanks, man. What'll ya have? Coke? Water?"

Hodges thought about it for a moment. "Get me some milk."

Wendy bit her lip as Nick blinked at the man. He didn't say anything except for a slightly amused "sure".

It didn't take long for the gang to get a game started. Wendy did notice though that the CSIs were on one team and the techs were on the other. She tried not to think about it though as she watched Catherine grab her ball and roll it into the gutter again.

"I had it!" Catherine cried out with laughter. "I almost had it! I hate this! I hate this! It happens every single time! No more!"

Her teammates tried to console her as Hodges grabbed his own ball.

"Don't be afraid to rock the granny roll, Cath," he said obnoxiously.

Wendy couldn't believe he actually used the granny roll. She did laugh when he only knocked down four pins though.

She turned her attention over to Sara. She loved how the woman talked on her cell phone and bowled without care. Sara didn't even watch to see if her ball collided with the pins – which made the fact that all but one were knocked down all the more impressive.

Wendy couldn't help herself. "Sara, that pin is flippin' you off."

Sara playfully stuck her tongue out at Wendy as she hung up her phone.

Everyone cheered on Robbins as he took his turn. The roll was better than Hodges' so Wendy felt a little more relieved about her team's chances. Sudden motion from her right made Wendy look over as Ray jumped into the seat next to Sara.

"There he is!" Nick announced. "Time for a toast. You know, bowling is a family sport. So I'd like to raise a glass to our CSI family."

Wendy felt touched as the group grabbed their drinks, stood up, and clinked them together. Nick included everyone, techs and investigators, into the title of CSI. It really made her feel welcome.

After everyone took a drink, Nick set his beer bottle down. "But unfortunately, it's time to give the family a little ass-whoopin'."

Ray continued to struggle with his shoes as he glanced up at Nick. "Be paying attention, Nick. Be careful you don't let your mouth write a check that your ass can't cash."

Wendy laughed at the two men's bickering. She was slightly worried about her team's performance though as Nick scored a strike. Apparently Ray was shocked too. Wendy watched as he grabbed his shoes and ran off.

Her turn was coming up so she began to mentally prepare herself. She wasn't a bad bowler. But if Hodges at his current rate of 'not good', she would definitely have to be better in order to best Nick and Sara.

"Hey , sorry I'm late." A voice announced from the top of the steps behind them. "I couldn't find my ball."

Wendy's heart skipped a beat as she watched Greg place a bag on the table and extract a custom bowling ball. She barely heard the voices of her colleagues and friends around her - some snide comment by Hodges and bets being made.

Nick called for a time-out. "I thought you weren't going to bowl."

Greg shrugged as he carried his bowl up to the line. Wendy's team's line. "Yeah, well… I changed my mind."

Everyone was silent as they watched the young CSI skillfully spin the ball down the lane and earn a strike. Nick was certainly put in his place.

Greg, smiling ear to ear, sat down next to Wendy. He turned a brilliant smile on her full force. "Hey, Wendy. You doing better?"

Wendy couldn't stop her heart from racing. She was not doing well at all, but not in the way Greg was implying. "Uh… yeah. I'm doing a lot better."

Greg nodded his head. "Great! Save my seat, please? I'm going to grab a soda."

"You want a beer?" Wendy offered.

He shook his head. "Nah. Not really in the mood. Soda's fine."

Wendy watched Greg leave. Well, not so much _Greg _as his ass. Oh, she was in trouble. Big trouble. But what was really bad was that she found herself not really caring.

* * *

"Okay," Nick said a few hours later. "I'm tired of getting my ass kicked. Sanders, next time you're not allowed to play."

Wendy smiled at the man she was leaning on. Greg scratched his eye with his middle-finger, a not-so-subtle insult directed at Nick. "Sorry, Nick. I can't help it if you suck at this."

"Yeah, whatever. I say we call it a day, ladies and gentleman. Who's drunk and who's giving rides?"

Catherine was already closing her cellphone. "The perks of having a daughter who can drive. See you tomorrow, guys."

"Letting your daughter drive your drunken ass home? Mother of the year, Cath!" Nick said with a laugh.

The redhead looked back over her shoulder at him. Then she smiled before walking away.

"Oh. I'm going to pay for that, aren't I?" Nick asked no one in particular.

"Your ass isn't cashing out tonight, Nick," Ray answered. "But it will definitely be paying tomorrow."

Nick's shoulders sagged. "Damn. Alright, I'm leaving. Hodges, fire up your car."

Hodges nodded. "Okay. Who else am I taking? Wendy?" he asked hopefully.

"I'll go with you, David," Ray responded. Hodges didn't turn away from Wendy though.

"I'm taking a cab," Sara said. Without waiting, she followed after Catherine.

"The missus is picking me up," David chimed in. "Doc, can we give you a lift?"

Robbins struggled out his seat. "That would be appreciated."

"Wendy?" Hodges asked again.

"Uh…" Wendy couldn't respond. She was waiting in the hope that -

"I can take you home," Greg offered.

Wendy turned her head toward him. "Yeah!" Too eager. She needed to tone it down some. "That would be great. Thanks, Greg."

"Ah, it's no problem."

Greg stood up and helped Wendy to her feet. She looked over his shoulder and saw Hodges glaring at the back of Greg's head. Wendy grinned maliciously in her mind.

After saying their goodbyes, the two of them departed for the parking lot.

Greg looked over at her. "You're not gonna throw up in my car, are you?"

Wendy smiled and shook her head. "No. I only had three beers. And that was with food over a span of almost three hours. I'm not even drunk. Just feeling… uninhibited."

She saw him glance at her from the side. He didn't respond.

After getting in his silver Jetta, Greg pulled out of the lot and started toward Wendy's apartment. Along the way, the two enjoyed light, friendly banter. It mostly consisted of swapping the latest gossip. Wendy was surprised by how much the former tech was still kept in the loop.

"Archie is a good friend of mine," Greg stated. "We usually hang out whenever we can. We used to surf together back in the day. He still does. I don't often get as much free time anymore. He usually fills me in on all the latest dirty secrets."

Wendy gulped. "All of them?"

Greg shrugged. "Mostly. I still think he's holding out on me though. He still calls me a traitor."

"Does that bother you?"

Greg shook his head. "Nope. Its all good with Archie. Hodges is the only who gets under my skin."

Wendy glanced at him. Greg's facial features were still calm and relaxed. "Does he ever _really _get to you?"

"Not really. Not anymore, anyway. I've gotten pretty good at ignoring him."

Wendy remained silent. She adjusted herself in the seat and relaxed as she felt the cars vibrations. She truly was comfortable. That was something else Greg brought out in her. She was always comfortable around him. She liked that.

Ten minutes later, Greg pulled up to her complex. He kept the engine running, apparently thinking that Wendy was just going to hop out.

She looked at him. "Care to come inside?"

Greg eyes flashed with momentary panic. "Uh… no that's okay."

Was he afraid to be alone with her? That made Wendy grin. "Come on. Grab a cup of coffee with me. Please?" She batted her eyes at him.

Wendy watched as his lips parted slightly. He was caving. That made Wendy even happier.

"Su… sure." he stammered.

After shutting of his engine, the two got out of the car and Wendy led him to her apartment. She honestly had no idea what she was doing. All she knew was that she was glad and excited to be doing it.

Once they were inside, Wendy moved toward the kitchen. Greg hovered around the door.

"Make yourself comfortable, Greg. It'll take a few minutes before the coffee's ready."

Greg's eyes swept over the apartment. "I… I think I'll be going. Thanks anyway though."

Wendy turned around quickly. "What? Why?"

"I…uh… I got things to do."

"Do you really? Or do you just not like being alone with me?" Wendy mentally smacked herself. What the hell was she doing?

"Huh?" Greg asked eloquently. "What are you talking about?"

Wendy threw caution to the wind. She decided to just go for the win and see what happened. "Why didn't you call me back? Four years ago," she clarified as she saw Greg look even more confused. "After the date with Julie?"

"What? I don't know. It was an awkward date."

"No. You told me that you knew what kind of date it was. Why didn't you call me?"

Greg frowned. "As I recall, the ball was in your court with that one. You set up that mock date. Your game, your rules."

"If you liked me, then you should have disregarded the rules and made up new ones."

Greg was now blushing. "I don't… I didn't-"

Wendy moved closer to him. "Cut the crap. Do you like me?"

"Wendy…" Greg tried.

The distance between them became smaller until she was standing right in front of him, right in his personal space.

"Do you?" she repeated.

"I…" he whispered.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Wendy closed the gap and pressed her lips to his. At first there was nothing. No response. And then she felt Greg's barriers fall. Before she knew it, he was kissing her back with a gentle, yet fierce passion. One of his hands was suddenly cupping the side of her face while the other pressed against her back, pulling her into him. Wendy moaned as her own hands grabbed hold of his shoulders.

Greg pulled away slightly. "Wendy…" he gasped. "I… we…"

She silenced him with another kiss. This time he didn't even try to fight back. She felt him melt in her arms.

Before either of them knew it, they were in her bedroom. Wendy had fallen on her bed with Greg on top of her. His lips were now on her neck as one of his hands found its way under her shirt. Her hands were busy trying to rip off his shirt.

Wendy had neglected to turn on any lights in the apartment except in the living room. Neither could see but both knew what they were doing. It wasn't long until the last articles of clothing were thrown on the floor.

Wendy gasped as Greg moved with her. She ran her hands along the length of his back, tracing with delight the feeling of his muscles. The way his lips touched the soft skin of her cheek and neck had her going crazy. Nothing about it was fast or frenzied. If anything, Greg was taking his time as though he were savoring every precious moment.

Suddenly, she felt his hand reach under her and press against the small of her back. Then he lifted her at the same moment he moved. Wendy threw her head back as a loud moan escaped her lips. This seemed to please Greg, as he did it again. Only this time he captured her mouth with his own, devouring the sounds she was making.

Wendy had never felt this… exhilarated before. They weren't fucking or even just sleeping together. They were making love. And that thought alone did more than anything else a man had done to her.

Her heart beat began to race as her breathing became hitched. Greg too was breathing heavier and moving faster. She felt her fingernails dig into the soft flesh of his back. They were both about to reach their zeniths.

Just as they reached the end, Greg once again kissed her passionately. Something between a moan and a scream escaped them. Wendy wasn't even sure who it was.

And then, it was over. Greg slowly lifted his head. Wendy opened her eyes and gazed at the dark brown ones looking into hers. Sweat was beaded on his forehead. His face was hot and flushed. She was pretty sure she looked the same.

He stared at her for the longest time before he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

Wendy couldn't help but feel comfortable.

* * *

A/N: I wish to thank my beta, Happyharper13, for once again doing an awesome job with this. A big thank you to all those who have reviewed and/or are still following this story.

A note on Hodges: I cast him quite negatively in this chapter. I want it to be known to all Wedges fans out there that I will not be ending this story with a bad relationship between Hodges and Wendy. Their friendship will remain intact and cordial by the end. For now, however, there needed to be some badness.

Thank you and please review.


	7. A Colder War

"_You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." – Abraham Lincoln_

Chapter 6: A Colder War

Wendy woke up feeling something to which she was unaccustomed: warmth. Her bed, while capable of trapping her own natural body heat, was generally chilly just outside of the two inches surrounding her body. But as her mind awakened, she noticed a definite increase in the temperature around her.

That and a hand was gently rubbing her arm.

Opening her eyes, Wendy slowly turned her head. She watched the lightly-tanned hand go back and forth over her skin. The motion was fluid, rhythmic. It was as though it was stuck in a pattern.

Wendy forced herself to turn further in order to see the man behind her. Greg's face was something she hadn't expected. She hoped for a smile. A frown she could have handled. But at that moment, his face was completely neutral. There was no emotion.

"Greg?" she asked.

He blinked and focused on her. A miniscule smile appeared on his face. "Hm?" was all he said.

Neglecting the hand, Wendy turned completely around and faced him. "What is it?"

Another blink. "Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

Greg eyes broke away from hers and focused on the hand that now rested on the bed sheets. "Nothing."

"Greg?"

When his eyes continued to refuse to look at her in favor of his hand, Wendy reached out and covered it with her own. She watched as his eyes trailed up her arm and face until they settled on her eyes again.

"Greg?" she asked again. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," he repeated.

Wendy's mind automatically began to focus on all the possible meanings of the word 'nothing'. She decided to go with the most obvious. "Is it us?"

Greg eyes shifted uncomfortably. "No."

Silence.

Wendy just stared at him. She waited patiently until his eyes once again focused on hers. When they did, she mentally willed him not to break the contact. Staring contests were the same as verbal confrontations. The one with the stronger will was the one who would win. And right at that moment, Wendy's will was strong. It had to be for this. Greg wasn't Hodges. She didn't know what the man's breaking point was. His guidebook was empty to her. But she knew that she had to keep it in her territory.

"…yes," Greg said finally. He kept the gaze. Wendy was surprised to see sorrow in it.

"What… what about us?" she asked. As the words left her lips, she felt cold. It was a question that could bring about a plethora of answers. Some that she feared to hear. And it was at this point that she began to realize the situation they were in. Both were naked and not just in the literal way.

Greg took a deep breath. "I've wanted this for a while, Wendy. Not _this _necessarily," he added indicating their current state. "But you. To be with you."

Some of the chill she felt left as Wendy offered him a small smile and squeezed his hand. "Then… what's wrong?"

Greg licked his lips. He opened his mouth to speak only to stop. Wendy watched as he gathered his thoughts. "Wendy, I'm not blind. Was this just a … rebound thing?"

Wendy blinked rapidly. She could still feel her willpower going strong – but she suddenly realized she was not in her territory. She never had been. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen the way you and Hodges act around each other. You're the only one that he-"

"Greg," she cut him off. This was not a subject she felt ready to cover. Not yet. "There… might have been something between Hodges and I. But nothing ever happened."

"I know. But…" he trailed off.

Wendy understood now where he was going. "Greg, I think that it's the other way around." He looked at her in confusion. "I think that Hodges may have been the rebound. Not you."

Something sparkled in Greg's eyes. He squeezed her hand. "Really? Wow. I feel like an idiot."

"How so?"

"I should have done more four years ago."

Wendy smiled at him. "Maybe we weren't ready four years ago. The way I understand it, you were still the new CSI. I was the new lab tech. We were both so wrapped up with our jobs that it might not have worked."

Greg's sparkle dimmed. "I guess that's the other thing I'm worried about."

The job. Of course he'd be worried about that. She'd seen the changes in him. The frustration and the aggravation. But she hoped he'd see her as a little respite from all that.

"Wendy," he started. "I think this was a bad idea."

Her brain came to an abrupt halt. He apparently didn't see her as relief or –

"We may have done more than screw each other," Greg stated. "We may have screwed your career."

Now her brain was in reverse. Wendy was definitely off her game because she had no idea where he was going.

"My career?" she asked.

"I'm your trainer. You're my trainee. And we just slept together."

Suddenly the pieces fell into place. Greg wasn't worried about himself. He was worried about her. And now so was she.

"Oh." Wendy stated as she looked at their entwined hands. Her mind wandered away from the here and now and looked toward the future. One that appeared murky and uncertain. "I never thought of that…"

Greg smiled sadly at her and squeezed her hand again. "I'm sorry."

Wendy looked back into his eyes. They were genuinely sad. It was almost heartbreaking. She didn't like it. Greg's eyes were always so playful and happy. She needed to see that again.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Especially after last night," she added with a sly smile.

Greg's lips twitched. "I'm serious. I should have known better –"

"Alright," Wendy interrupted. "That's it. Everyone has been making moves behind my back, making decisions for me, or taking the blame for the ones I made. Greg, for once, I'm going to ask you to shut up for a second."

Greg closed his mouth and stared at her wide-eyed.

"In the big picture, yeah, we probably should have thought this out more. But in the _bigger _picture, I couldn't be happier. And I'm going to prove it to you."

Without waiting for an invitation, Wendy closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his. Unlike the night before, however, Greg didn't hesitate. He immediately kissed her back. Their hands untwined and Greg wrapped his arm around her, pressing their bodies together.

Wendy broke the kiss and smiled. "Feeling better, I see. In more ways than one," she said with a devious smile.

Greg gave her the brilliant smile she had been hoping for since she first woke up. "You know, we're still going to have to figure out what to do about this."

"I know." Wendy conceded. "But let's take care of _this _first."

Any protests from Greg were silenced as she forcefully ended the conversation by latching onto his lips and pushing him onto his back. In her mind, Wendy declared victory in the difficult battle. It was now time to collect her prize.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Greg asked as they entered the Crime Lab. "I'm sure we can pull a Mr. and Mrs. Grissom here."

Wendy shot him a look that made him shut his mouth. "I'm sure, Greg. We need to deal with this our way. Plus, I don't think Catherine or Ecklie would allow another 'Grissom Situation' to skate by so easily."

It was several hours after their conversation in her bedroom and both Wendy and Greg had agreed to confess. They figured if they revealed their relationship now, there would be no serious ramifications for their actions.

It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the office that Greg shared with Nick. Taking a deep breath, Greg opened the door and escorted Wendy inside.

Nick was sitting behind his desk. He didn't even look up at them as his eyes were focused on the piles of paper resting in front of him.

"Whoa," Greg said. "Is that paperwork?"

Nick nodded slowly. "I guess I cracked too many jokes at Catherine's expense last night. Ray was right. My ass is cashing out."

Wendy chuckled. The sound made Nick finally look up at them. He must've thought it was just Greg who had entered. He looked back and forth between them, realization dawning that they were there to speak with him. Like a supervisor.

"What's up?" the Texan asked.

Greg took another deep breath. "Nick, we… uh… we need to talk."

"Okay?' Nick responded, dragging out the word.

Greg glanced over at Wendy. She nodded her head encouragingly. "Nick, I can't train Wendy anymore."

Nick frowned. "Why? Is something wrong? You guys were fine last night. Did you two get in a fight or something when you took her… home…?" His eyes widened as the truth became clear to him.

Greg smiled awkwardly and Wendy shifted uncomfortably.

"Wait. Are you saying…?"

A stuttered 'yeah' was all Greg could manage.

Nick focused on Wendy. "But… I thought… you and Hodges?"

Wendy sighed. Apparently everyone in the lab thought something was going on between the two techs. "No. Nothing."

The two of them stood there awaiting the verdict that they felt was required for their crime.

"Alright," Nick said with sudden enthusiasm. "I figured I'd have to do deal with something like this eventually. To be honest though, I thought it would involve Hodges and not you, man." Greg smiled sheepishly at the Texan. "I'll tell Catherine that Wendy would feel more comfortable learning from Ray. She originally was going to pair you with him anyway. Is that okay?"

Wendy nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine with that. But won't Catherine be suspicious about why –"

"Don't worry," Nick interrupted. "I'll make it sound like that Greg's doing fine, but that you were used to Ray's methods. All you two need to do is play it cool around here and-"

"No," Wendy said. "We're not going to hide this. I don't want Greg or myself to look stupid either. We've already talked about this. Catherine needs to know. Whatever she decides will be what we'll do."

She looked over at Greg for support. He smiled at her and reached for her hand. Wendy gladly offered it to him. Then she looked back at Nick. The man had a quirky grin on his face.

"What?" Greg asked defiantly.

"Not a thing," Nick said. His shit-eating smile still plastered on his face. Then he shifted over to business. "Greg, go with Sara. She has a 419 out on Industrial. Wendy, stay in the lab tonight. I'll handle Catherine."

"Shouldn't we be there for this?" Greg asked.

Nick shook his head. "No. Let me work on her."

Greg sighed. "Thanks, Nick."

"I wouldn't be thankin' me yet, Sanders. You're gonna owe me. Both of you."

Wendy grimaced. She guessed Nick's samples were always going to be at the top of her pile from now on.

She felt Greg pull her hand and she turned to follow. Once they were out of the office he let go of her. But she still followed him down the hallways of the lab until they entered the locker room.

Greg turned around and pulled her into a hug.

"Are we sure about this?" he asked quietly, his voice soft against her ear.

"It's kinda late for second thoughts, don't ya think?" Wendy responded.

"Well, we can still have Nick –"

"No. Waiting would only make it worse. For the both of us."

Greg didn't respond. He just held her in his arms. It gave her a sense of comfort.

Everything was happening so fast. She had all her plans laid out perfectly. But once implemented, nothing happened the way she thought. This was probably why she could claim to be a good strategist but still remain a horrible tactician. She could draft the plans and make them work perfectly on paper. But once they required execution, she found her reaction time lacking. She had failed to see the bigger picture. The fact that Greg – not to mention most of the Lab apparently – had picked up on her and Hodges still baffled her.

Hodges. Wendy knew she had to do something about that. Waiting would only make it worse. She needed to practice what she preached.

"We should probably prepare for the worst," Greg whispered in her ear.

"Hm?"

Greg rubbed her back. "In case Catherine decides to switch one of us to another shift."

"You really think she'll do that?"

The hand on her back stopped moving. "It's possible. And it'd probably be me."

"You don't know that."

More silence. Wendy could feel a slight change in his demeanor. He was more tense now.

"Greg? Let's say she does. What would you do?" She tried hard to keep the fear out of her voice. Everything was going too fast. She just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.

He started rubbing her back again. "Don't worry. I'm not giving up on this. Not again." He pulled away from her and looked at her in the eye. "You?" he asked.

She smiled. "No. Not again."

Greg grinned at her. They pulled each other close and kissed briefly. Then they returned to hugging each other. For that one moment, Wendy felt the world slow down. She felt content. It hadn't been said in as many words, but she knew that they both just agreed not to let the job interfere again. This time, they were going to see how far they could go.

"Wendy?"

The pair froze. Wendy knew that voice. She quickly lifted her head away from Greg's shoulder and looked over at the doorway. Hodges was standing there with a shell-shocked expression on his face.

The man blinked rapidly a few times. "What's going on?"

"Hodges, I…" Wendy stopped. She stared transfixed at the tech. She watched the mixture of emotions that ran through it. Panic, fear, hate, heartbreak. It was a kaleidoscope of agony.

"YOU!" Hodges shouted. He was staring at Greg. "It's never enough for you, is it?"

Greg let go of Wendy. She looked at him. His expression was neutral. Composed. He didn't say anything.

This seemed to aggravate Hodges. "Nothing to say? What else do you want? My job?"

"David…" Wendy started.

He looked at her. His eyes morphed from anger to sadness. "Wendy… how…?"

Wendy took a step toward him. She stopped when she felt a slight touch on her back. It was almost nonexistent. Almost as though the man behind her was unsure of what to do. The only thing it seemed he could do was touch her. She leaned back into the touch.

Hodges eyes flashed. He looked between the two of them. Seconds ticked by as the three just stared at each. Someone was bound to break, though. And that someone was Hodges.

The tech suddenly lunged at Greg. Wendy was surprised to see Greg not move – like he wanted Hodges to hit him. But she couldn't have that. Quickly she maneuvered herself between the two men. This seemed to slow the enraged man down.

Apparently they had been making noise because Wendy noticed they had acquired an audience. Four techs had appeared at the doorway. Three of them had moved with lightning speed to break up the fight before it got started. Henry had rushed over to Hodges and placed a hand on his shoulder in an effort to calm him down. Archie was standing behind Greg – though whether he was there to hinder or help in the fight Wendy didn't know. Mandy had taken a defensive stance alongside her. Bobby remained at door.

Hodges took a deep breath and looked around him. The sight of an audience appeared to have deterred whatever action he had planned. His eyes focused on Wendy's. She stared back, unsure of what to do or say. Hodges opened his mouth to say something. Then he closed it and ran out.

Wendy jumped to follow him. She heard Greg call her name. After a moment's hesitation, she continued her pursuit. She had to make this right.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the delay and for the shorter chapter. I had difficulty finding a decent ending spot without spilling into the events of the next chapter. As for the tardiness, that has two excuses. One - being I was on vacation and two - the first copy sent to my beta (Happyharper13, who is awesome) got lost in cyberspace. I thought she had it and she never knew I sent it. But things are worked out on take two.

Major thanks to those who have reviewed and to those still continuing to read this. Only two more chapters left (well, one and an epilogue).

Please review. :)


	8. Détente

"_It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."_ – _Eleanor Roosevelt_

Chapter 7: Détente

Wendy looked quickly around the parking garage. Although Hodges had proven himself to be faster than her, she was still able to catch a fleeting glimpse of him exiting into the garage. Her only hope was that he hadn't jumped into his car and driven off yet. Because then she would have to follow him. No matter how hard he tried, Wendy wouldn't allow him to get away. Their friendship depended on it.

It didn't take her long to locate his car. As she approached it, Wendy was relieved to discover the engine was off. She guessed that no matter how terrible he was feeling, Hodge's work ethic wouldn't allow him the luxury of leaving the job without at least getting Catherine's okay to do so. Moving closer to the vehicle, she could see Hodges slumped over in the driver seat, his head resting against the steering wheel. Slowly, she walked up to the passenger side door and tapped on the glass.

To his credit, Hodges didn't jump at the noise. Instead, he calmly raised his head and looked over. His eyes appeared remarkably neutral. There were no signs of the anger or sadness he had shown moments before back inside the lab.

Wendy offered him a small, pleading smile. Hodges continued to just stare at her. When he looked back at his steering wheel, Wendy wondered if he was going to try to take off. At least a minute went by until he moved. Slowly, Hodges moved his hand and unlocked the passenger door.

As she got into the car, Wendy's brain quickly went to work. She was tired of all the mind games, all the battles. The only thing she wanted right now was a heart to heart conversation. So she dove right into it.

"Hodges," she started. "I'm sorry."

Hodges stared at his steering wheel. "Sorry about what?" he asked. His voice was surprisingly calm. "I'm not exactly sure who it is you're cheating on."

Wendy cringed at the statement. But it held more meaning than she would have originally thought. "I… honestly don't know either."

That seemed to have surprised the man sitting across from her. "What do you mean _you_ don't know?"

"David," Wendy pleaded. "There was something between Greg and I. Something unfinished that I had forgotten about. Something I had never even considered. But these past few months…" she paused. "It just sprang up again."

Hodges was quiet again. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "How long have you been with him? And when did I become just the sideshow?" Again, the voice was calm. But she could hear the vindictive fury beneath the surface.

"You were never the sideshow, David. I just couldn't figure out which feature I wanted to see. This is all my fault. Blame me. Greg is just as much a victim here as you are. And we didn't get together officially until… yesterday."

Hodges, who was looking at her now, blinked. "Before or after the bowling match?"

"After."

Hodges turned away from her again. The two of them just sat there, Wendy with baited breath as she waited for Hodges to say something.

"So… how do you feel? A… About me?"

Wendy looked at him. She had detected a slight waver in his voice. His eyes had shifted away from the steering wheel and were now focused on her. Wendy felt her heart break at the look in his eyes. They were almost like a child's. A child who just found out his parents were divorcing and was trying to understand why.

Her lips trembled as she opened her mouth to speak. "David, I…. I like you. I really do. Hell, I even love you. But as a friend. You and I… we're too opposite. We're too confrontational. I think I was deceiving myself into believing we could be something. And I brought you down with me. I'm really sorry, David."

Hodges briefly shut his eyes. "But you and Sanders…?"

"I don't know what you want to hear for an answer. There's just something between us. Something…" Wendy trailed off.

"We didn't have?" Hodges finished. "How do you know? We never tried-"

"Don't," Wendy interjected. "Please. This is hard enough already. Trust me when I say it wouldn't have worked. And we would have come out of it for the worse."

Hodges' eyes flashed with sudden anger. "And this is better?"

Wendy was surprised by the sudden outburst. It wasn't a normal move Hodges would make. But then again… nothing about this was normal. Each was playing with a different playbook.

"Maybe," was all she could offer. "I was going to tell you. We just had a meeting with Nick about it, to see how it'll go over with Catherine. That scene in the break room was just a moment's reprieve. Everything has been going fast. Too fast. You were the next person I was going to tell."

"How can I believe you?" Hodges asked, his voice calmer but still shaky. "You've already admitted to being deceitful."

Now it was Wendy's turn to get mad. "Deceitful? Only with myself! I never tried to deceive you." She struggled to regain her composure.

"You lied to me by proxy! You might have been playing head games with yourself, but I was actually interested in you! I really liked you, Simms! I thought we were both on the same page. How do you think it felt to see you in _Sanders' _arms!"

"Don't bring Greg into this. This is between you and me!" Wendy shouted.

Hodges slammed his hand against the steering wheel. "No! This is as much about him as it is us. He's walked around the lab for years as though he were some golden boy! Did he get reprimanded for the explosion? No! Catherine took the blame and I got interrogated. Why the hell didn't he get called out on not checking the damn fume hood!"

"How can you blame him for that?" Wendy asked flabbergasted.

Hodges ignored the question. "And did you know that there were several applicants for CSI? This is the best lab in the country. There's probably dozens of resumes coming into the lab each week. But who got the spot? Sanders. And he even screwed up! But being Grissom's favorite, he got a second chance where anyone else wouldn't have."

Wendy narrowed her eyes. The pieces were starting to come together now. Hodges' hatred toward Greg wasn't coming from some personal slight or battles over career advancement. It was something much pettier.

"You're jealous of him," Wendy stated.

Hodges' glowered at her. "What?"

"You said it yourself. 'Grissom's favorite' you called him. Grissom didn't have favorites, excluding Sara. If you stepped back and took your head out of your ass, you would have seen that. And you might have given Grissom the breathing room needed for him to like you better."

"Get out," Hodges said evenly.

"No. We're not done."

Hodges set his jaw. "Yes we are. Now get out of my car."

Wendy held her ground and repeated her response. She wasn't going to let him drive away. This needed to be fixed right then and there.

The two continued to glare at each other. Wendy knew that, technically, her refusal to leave his car was illegal. And they were in the parking garage of the crime lab. But she pushed those stray thoughts aside. She was in this battle of wills to win.

And luckily for her the battle didn't last long. With an aggravated groan, Hodges threw open the driver side door and flew out of the car and walked quickly away. Wendy, not missing a beat, jumped out and went after him. "David!" she hollered after him. "We're not leaving this!"

"Dammit, Simms!" Hodges called back as he increased his speed. "Just leave me alone!"

Wendy also increased her pace in order to keep up with the fleeing man. When he took off running, she did too. She was amazed at his speed. Hodges could really move when he wanted too.

Hodges quickly dodged his way around a few cars and made for the garage's stairwell. He forcefully pushed open the door and ducked inside. When she reached the same door, Wendy followed. They were on the one of the middle floors. Wendy listened for Hodges' footsteps in order to ascertain whether he went up or down. Only a few seconds worth of waiting told her he went up.

By the time she reached the top floor, she was out breath. Although she liked to believe she was in great shape, running through a car garage was not something she had planned for. She looked around the top floor in search of her quarry, a tack made more difficult given that the sun had already set. Her eyes settled on the dark figure leaning against an electrical box a few yards from her. She approached cautiously, afraid he might take off again. Her fears subsided, however, when she noticed how hard Hodges was breathing. He wasn't in as good of shape either, apparently.

"David, we need to stop this." Wendy's voice shook with fatigue, both physical and emotional.

Hodges didn't look back at her. "Why won't you leave? Haven't you done enough?"

Wendy slowed her steps as she approached. "No. If anything, I'd say I haven't done nearly enough. If I had, we would be able to communicate better."

Silence greeted her comment. After a few moments passed, Wendy realized she wasn't going to get one. She slowly walked around the leaning man and stopped next to him. Hodges, his breathing no longer as frantic, slid down the metal box until he was sitting. Wendy mirrored the maneuver. Neither said a word.

With nothing but the night sky above and the distant noise of traffic below, Wendy allowed herself to relax and just think. They were both at a lost on where to go from here. No matter where Hodges tried to run, she would follow. But she didn't know what to do once she caught him. Communication had been broken and neither knew how to repair it.

The sound of footsteps approaching brought Wendy from her thoughts. Whoever was there was coming closer. The steps halted on the other side of the metal box. She heard the metal crink as weight settled on it.

A few seconds of silence passed. Finally the figure spoke. "For what it's worth, Hodges, I'm sorry."

Wendy looked up and over her shoulder. Greg was leaning on the box with crossed arms. She couldn't read his face.

"I really don't know what to say here," Greg continued. "If there is anything I can do…" He paused as a disgruntled sigh escaped form Hodges. Wendy saw Greg frown. "I know we haven't been the best of friends. Or even friends, really. Eight years is a long time to hate someone. I know this isn't the best time or situation, but I'd like to start over. All of us."

Greg met Wendy's eyes as he said this. He offered her a sad smile. She returned it.

Without a word, Hodges stood up. He didn't look at either of them as he walked past Greg toward the stairwell. Wendy stood up as well, ready to follow. She only took a couple steps before she was stopped by Greg's hand on her shoulder. They watched as Hodges disappeared.

"Do you think he will?" Wendy asked.

"Want to start over? I hope. Eight years really is too long."

"And what about us? What did you mean start over for us?"

Greg wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well. For us, we already did." She smiled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

It was a half hour later when the finally descended back into the lab. They wanted to give Hodges time to do… whatever he needed to do. Besides, they figured that shift would be starting soon.

Walking through the halls, they were met with the gazes of the lab techs. All four of the techs who had been in the locker room gave the couple sad looks. Greg turned toward Wendy. "I should probably find Nick. I'm sure I've got a case or… something." They exchanged small smiles before he took off toward the office he shared with the Texan.

Wendy made for her own lab. She had just walked in when she felt someone following her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw it was Mandy. "Hey," she offered.

"He's not here," Mandy stated. Wendy blinked at the comment, knowing what she meant. "He told Catherine he wasn't feeling well and left."

Wendy sat down on her stool. "This really isn't how I wanted things."

Mandy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She tried to give an encouraging smile. "Well, you know what they say. All's fair in love and war."

"No," Wendy countered. "They lied. There're war crimes. And if there's crime in war, what makes love different?"

* * *

A/N: It's been awhile, hasn't it? I really have no excuse for taking this long to update. I just lost my inspiration for this story last summer when I first heard Wendy was leaving. But it was always at the back of my mind.

I also want to give a big thank you to those who read and reviewed this in the past several months. Each drove me that much closer to finishing this. Thank you!

As for future updates, I've only got one chapter left. I WILL write it and finish this long overdue story.

And as always, please review. :)


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